How a first impression sparked a fulfilling career for this dedicated leader
Sarah’s career path was clear from the beginning. Following her family’s footsteps, Sarah jumped feet first into the electrical industry with real foresight and conviction. But it wasn’t until she crossed paths with Powerlink’s down-to-earth people that she found her true calling. Almost 15 years on, Sarah’s built an unexpected and rewarding career as our General Manager Design Solutions. And now she’s gearing up for an even brighter future, right here at Powerlink - for her and for Queensland.
Meaningful interactions
Caring, supportive and respectful. They’re the kind of adjectives you’d associate with the ideal team or colleague. And they’re exactly the words Sarah Huang used to describe Powerlink’s people - before she even joined us!
In a previous role at a consulting firm, Sarah often collaborated with our teams on various projects. Day after day, she grew more impressed with their kindness and courtesy - until she decided it was time to experience it firsthand.
“Powerlink’s people had a different attitude towards contractors that really stood out from the others,” Sarah says. “They’re caring people who support each other and they respect you. That’s why as soon as there was a position open with Powerlink, I applied. I thought those people’s behaviour would be a reflection of the culture and the company. And I was right.”
Sarah joined us as an Automation Engineer in 2010 and has never looked back. We’ve grown exponentially during her time with us, welcoming hundreds of new faces to our teams. But Sarah says one thing hasn’t changed.
“Everyone here is more than willing to help and share their knowledge with you. It’s always been that way. They want you to learn rather than you keeping to yourself. Here, you’re part of a team that really supports each other. And that also means you need to be a part of it - you need to be patient and encouraging, too. That’s what makes Powerlink’s culture what it is.”
Taking a leap
Growing up, Sarah was no stranger to the electrical industry. Her dad worked for a power station for many years and inspired her sister to join the same path. Sharing her family’s technical skills and approach to problem solving, Sarah pursued her own career in the industry - and she embraced it with ease.
“I really enjoy engineering because I’m the type of person who likes to see the outcome of my effort or to see my contribution to society directly,” Sarah says. “Being an engineer, you normally get to see how people benefit from your work. You can ride a bicycle past a shopping centre and know you designed the electrical circuit. That gives you satisfaction.”
Throughout her journey, Sarah was confident in her technical ability. However, she hadn’t considered taking on a people-management position until she was asked a question that set up the second half of her career.
“Before I joined Powerlink, a leader said to me, ‘In the future, do you think you’ll remain in the technical stream? Or will you become a leader?’ Back then, I couldn’t make the call - I always thought I’d stay in a technical role. And because English was my second language, I never thought I’d be a leader.”
Sarah may not have recognised it at first, but we saw her true potential. There’s so much opportunity to grab here - so, we’ll provide the pathways and the tools to help you make it happen. And that’s exactly what Sarah’s leader did when a Team Leader position became available in our Secondary System Design team in 2014.
“He walked up to my desk and said, ‘Are you going to apply for that role?’. I said, ‘No, I don’t think I can do it.’ But he said, ‘Of course you can.’ So, he supported me, and that whole experience helped me take my first role as a frontline leader.”
It was the encouragement Sarah needed. Almost a decade later, she has truly come into her own as General Manager Design Solutions. Leading a team of about 150 engineering professionals, Sarah excels in motivating Powerlink’s people to achieve their goals. The best bit? She says her own growth continues to be front and centre.
“Now I’m a General Manager, and it’s all because of Powerlink. I’ve gone through so many different training sessions to improve my leadership skills. Powerlink really invests in its employees. And as a leader myself, I can see how every single employee has that opportunity. Powerlink makes it possible.”
A legacy that inspires a legacy
For Sarah, finding smart solutions to interesting problems isn’t just gratifying - it’s a necessity. Working at the heart of Queensland’s energy transformation, Sarah and her team are getting ready to tackle one of the world’s biggest challenges yet. She says it’s an opportunity to truly have an impact for today and tomorrow.
“It’s urgent. In the past, we just had to maintain what we had. Now, we have an opportunity to innovate and build new things. This isn’t just a once-in-a-generation opportunity - it’s once in a few generations. We really get to reform the industry.”
With all the growth ahead, Sarah says now’s the time to join Powerlink. We’re so grateful she chose us to continue her journey, and we can't wait to see the incredible contributions she and her new team members will make. And neither can Sarah!
“It’s a really exciting time, but with that comes the responsibility to make it happen. While we are delivering for that great goal ahead, I also hope I can continue to build up the workplace for my team, for my division, and for Powerlink. I’ve grown so much in the last 14 years, and after the next 10 years, I’ll get to look back at what I’ve achieved. That’s the best thing in anyone’s career, right? And I have that opportunity at Powerlink.”