What are my grads actually thinking?
The question crosses every graduate program manager’s mind, usually around mid-year, when the early shine has worn off and you’re trying to gauge how things are really tracking.
Are they engaged? Overwhelmed? Building the skills you hoped they would? Do they feel supported, or is there something missing?
You can look at retention rates, engagement scores, and feedback surveys. But numbers only tell part of the story. What’s often missing is the unfiltered, human perspective: What does year one actually feel like from the inside?
That’s why we sat down with Cristina, a Brightworks Gen Z Advisory Board member who recently completed her first year as a graduate at Powerlink Queensland. We asked her to walk us through the reality.
What she shared challenges some common assumptions about what graduates need, what helps them thrive, and where the gaps still exist.
Looking back, what did you expect going into your graduate program, and how did the reality compare?
I expected my first year in Powerlink’s Graduate Program to be all about technical learning, but the biggest lessons came from the people and pace. I knew I’d rotate through different teams, but I didn’t anticipate just how distinct each area would feel.
Every six months is like stepping into a whole new business, and the learning curve is steep. Just as you start to feel confident, it’s time to move again.
It was challenging but exciting, and I quickly learned that adapting to new environments would become one of my most valuable skills.
What were the standout highlights of your first year?
One highlight was my rotation in the Real-Time Network Operations team. I investigated faults across the network, using information from field crew comments, drawings, datasheets, and conversations with senior engineers. Then I would give instructions to the field crews on how to resolve the issue.
It felt incredible to have that much responsibility and agency in such a critical part of the business, especially in my first year.
If you had told me in university that I would be doing work like this in my first year as a grad, I probably would have just asked what all those words meant. Experiences like that reminded me why I chose this career and it’s given me a real sense of pride in my work.
What were the toughest parts of the year, and what helped you get through them?
Before starting, I assumed the work would be almost entirely technical and that I would constantly struggle to keep up. I imagined myself buried in datasheets and diagrams, trying to solve problems on my own. But there was instead a lot of emphasis on interpersonal skills, communication, and networking, where the technical skills grew almost organically along the way.
The constant re-starting with each rotation was tough at first. I am used to roles where you gradually become good at something in a linear way. At Powerlink, I was almost always starting from square one.
While it was exhausting at times, over the last year I’ve come to enjoy the challenge. Supportive team leaders and colleagues, along with a culture that prioritises learning over output, made it easier to focus on building capability rather than just trying to deliver quickly.
What experiences helped you build skills and confidence, and what are you most excited about for year two?
During my first rotation, I worked on the Gladstone Reinforcement Project in the Major Projects Delivery team. Being part of such a massive body of work was an incredible learning experience.
I got to contribute from day one and learned a lot about managing stakeholders and risks, and the importance of balancing innovation with the ‘tried and true way’ in megaprojects.
Over the past year, I have realised that I enjoy working with people, engaging with clients, and being involved in delivery-focused roles. I want to specialise in project management after the program.
Knowing how my work aligns with my personal goals has given me a real purpose as I move through my rotations. I can see how each experience contributes to my growth and ties back to what I want to achieve.
For year two, I’m excited to move into design and field rotations, where I’ll really drill into the technical side of things. It’s a great chance to gain deeper context across the business and see how everything I’ve been learning fits together in practice.
How did the relationships within your cohort develop over the year?
Even though we all started with different experiences and backgrounds, we quickly found common ground. Early on, the shared challenges of navigating rotations, learning new technical areas, and figuring out how the business works created a natural sense of camaraderie.
Those early experiences grew into genuine friendships. We started leaning on each other not just for work advice, but for moral support. The diversity of our experiences means everyone brings something different to the table, and conversation flows easily.
Recently, a few of us grads even hosted a trivia night for the whole cohort of almost 40 grads, and it was so much fun to step out of the work mindset, get a bit competitive, and laugh together.
Moving into my second year, I feel like I’ve already made some lifelong friendships.
What advice would you give to both future graduates entering programs and program managers designing them?
For future grads: show up, ask questions, and dive in. Don’t wait to feel ready. Some of the best learning happens while you’re figuring things out. Be proactive about connecting with people across the business, even if it feels intimidating at first. The more you put yourself out there, the more you’ll get back.
For program managers: creating a culture that prioritises development over output makes a huge difference. Giving graduates space to experiment and make mistakes builds capability in the long run.
Structured rotations, supportive mentorship, and regular check-ins are great, but equally important is fostering an environment where graduates feel safe to ask questions, take initiative, and engage with people across the business. Give them the tools, the support, and a bit of freedom, and watch them thrive.
What this means for graduate program managers
Cristina’s experience reinforces what the research tells us: culture and people matter more than process alone.
The technical capability will develop. What accelerates it, or stalls it, is whether graduates feel safe to ask questions, whether they have leaders who prioritise development over immediate output, and whether they’re given meaningful work that builds genuine agency.
The constant rotation reset she describes is a reality for many graduate programs. But with the right structure and support, graduates have the psychological safety to restart without fear or hesitation.
Her advice to program managers is deceptively simple: give them the tools, the support, and a bit of freedom, and watch them thrive.
The question is: are your graduates getting all three?
Want to design graduate programs where every participant can thrive?
Our development workshops and People Leader training equip both graduates and their managers with the capability to navigate year one, and beyond, with confidence.
