Port of Newcastle signed up to the NSW Skills for Net Zero initiative and discovered how valuable a fully‑facilitated internship process could be. The initiative gave them access to a high-quality pool of tertiary student interns to help contribute to their net zero goals along with support from the experienced CSIRO team throughout the internship placement.
This NSW Government-funded initiative is helping build a net zero workforce by engaging, matching and connecting talented tertiary students with paid internship opportunities at workplaces that are helping NSW to achieve net zero.
We hear from Zoe Ronalds and Ruth Madden at the Port of Newcastle and intern Nyah Moore about their collaboration via this initiative, and how the placement helped progress the Port of Newcastle’s net zero business plan.
Why everyone jumped on board
When Ruth first read about NSW Skills for Net Zero, she thought it would be a great way to introduce concepts of net zero to young people and gain extra support to assist with the organisation’s goal of reaching net zero by 2040.
“Sustainability is an area that is continuing to grow, and most organisations are under-resourced. Introducing more young people to the industry will benefit everyone in the long run,” said Ruth, ESG and Sustainability Manager.
Zoe saw this initiative as a chance to help with quality resourcing, provide students with valuable work experience and an opportunity to upskill staff.
“I found the process with NSW Skills for Net Zero really easy; the streamlined recruitment process saved us a lot of time and the three candidates they provided us were amazing,” said Zoe Ronalds, People and Culture Advisor.
Expanding the Port-folio in decarbonisation
Nyah is currently a Bachelor of Science student majoring in Earth Science at the University of Newcastle, and a successful intern candidate at the Port of Newcastle.
“I was doing study in the sustainability area looking at all the climate scenarios and that was my favourite course. When I saw this placement on the Uni website, I was like, oh, this is perfect,” said Nyah
Nyah’s studies meant she could apply her valuable research skills on carbon offsetting projects to the Port of Newcastle's net zero targets and business plan
“Port of Newcastle has a net zero target by 2040. My main project was updating the Net Zero Business Plan. I went through all the emissions data, updating it and calculating both the financial requirements and mitigation measures required to meet the net zero goal. For example, there are opportunities for low-carbon liquid fuels and I calculated how much that would save compared to if we stayed with fossil fuels. I also did some research into some carbon offset strategies that they could use if required.” said Nyah.
Anchoring sustainability
This initiative is providing a positive change from the ground up. From engineers and scientists to accountants and policy advisors, the path to net zero spans all sectors. This experience has changed Nyah’s perspective on net zero and associated career opportunities in NSW.
“There are so many different up-and-coming things that I just didn't really realise that people were doing. It seems like a growing, interesting area and this experience has solidified my wanting to go into the sustainability space,” shared Nyah.
Is your business looking to achieve your net zero goals?
NSW Skills for Net Zero is industry-driven. We work to understand your business requirements and find the best candidate for your project.
The tick of approval - what our participants are saying
From a business perspective, Zoe advocates NSW Skills for Net Zero to other organisations, being a fully facilitated initiative which could save you time and resources.
“I would recommend this initiative because it’s super easy to get the program up and running in your organisation. I think all the candidates sent forward were of a high quality. We can already see the value added in our organisation,” said Zoe.
Is your business looking to achieve your net zero goals?
NSW Skills for Net Zero is industry-driven. We work to understand your business requirements and find the best candidate for your project.