AGL Loy Yang has welcomed nine new apprentices for 2023, representing one of the largest apprentice intakes since privatisation in 1995.

Aged between 17 and 35, the nine apprentices were chosen from a pool of more than 300 applicants, with three joining straight out of school and six opting for a career change.

AGL Loy Yang General Manager Christo van Niekerk said the number of applicants and the substantial intake of apprentices for this year’s program demonstrates that AGL offers a rewarding career in a dynamic and changing industry.

“AGL Loy Yang is proud to be welcoming one of our largest intakes of apprentices in the past three decades. We are excited to see the next generation of AGL employees get started and contribute to this essential service,” Mr van Niekerk said.

“Our apprenticeship intake program is an important part of a broad range of programs in place at AGL Loy Yang to ensure we are recruiting and retaining the right skills in our workforce.

“The varying ages in this cohort demonstrates that more people are considering a trade in energy at various stages of their careers. At AGL we are committed to improving equality across the business and every apprentice at AGL is given the same opportunity to learn and develop their skills for a successful career.”

The AGL Loy Yang apprenticeship program sees the new starters rotate every six months, with the opportunity to work across both the Power Station and the mine and gain a variety of skills from other tradespeople across the business.

AGL mechanical apprentice, Dakota Alston, said it was an exciting time to be working for AGL Loy Yang.

“It’s an exciting time to be an apprentice, as the industry prepares to change from coal-fired generation to low carbon generation like renewables. Having an apprenticeship at AGL is setting us up to head in the right direction, and we’ve already done so much in the first few weeks.”