Z's Graduate Programme sets young Kiwi up for success

Every year, the Z Energy (Z) graduate programme offers five promising young people the chance to take up generalist graduate roles that rotate across different areas of the business, giving them the opportunity to gain new skills, uncover their strengths, and see where they thrive.

_{Ella Murdoch and Jeremy Burke in the Z Shed cafe}

Victoria University graduate Jeremy Burke joined the programme in 2024, fresh from gaining a bachelor’s degree in commerce. Within 18 months, he’d picked up a permanent role as a Supply Chain Analyst.

Jeremy says the sense of care and support from Z began before he’d even won a place on the programme. “Even during the assessment stage, we all came into the Z office and one of the first people we met was the CEO, Lindis Jones. He sat down and had a chat with us. For me, that showed that Z was really invested and that they really valued us.”

Once he got started in the programme, Jeremy worked his way around various departments – including People & Culture, Energy Solutions and Supply – and was grateful for the chance to try out different areas. “I was exposed to some really cool things, and it tested me in new ways, but always with the support of knowing that if I needed any help, I could just put my hand up.”

Jeremy also valued having a mentor who could help not just with industry knowledge, but also more general advice on how to operate day to day in his job. “These people operate at a very strategic level so listening to the way they think and view things was really useful for me,” he says.

Having majored in marketing and HR, Jeremy didn’t necessarily expect to find himself in the supply side of the business, but it’s an area he enjoyed working in during his rotation phase. He is now proud to sit within a team who “help to ensure that Z is bringing in products that meet our quality requirements and distributing it efficiently across New Zealand.” Jeremy says, “It wasn’t something I thought I’d end up doing. I’m still surprised that I’ve landed here, but I love what I do now.”

Amid tough economic times, which have seen the job market contract, Jeremy says he’s felt even more lucky to be where he is. Particularly as he’s seen fellow graduates either struggle to find jobs or wind up in roles that aren’t ideal due to financial pressure.

Ella Murdoch – one of Jeremy’s 2024 graduate cohort – has also transitioned from the programme into a position she’s passionate about. Ella studied economics at University of Otago before applying for a coveted graduate spot with Z. As soon as she began her first rotation, Ella says she was picking up new skills and discovering new joys. “Within a couple days of being in the Corporate team, I started to learn from one of the analysts about how to make a basic financial model. I thought, “I’ve never enjoyed anything so much in my life!” she recalls. “I was worried though because I had studied economics, not finance. My manager said, ‘That’s OK. If you’ve got a passion, then we’ll help you explore that further, and we’ll train you up to do it more.’ That was really cool to hear.”

Ella’s other key area of interest during her studies was environmental economics, so when the chance came to apply for a role in Energy Solutions, as an EV Public Charging Analyst, she leapt at the chance. Now she’s getting to flex her newfound skills and contribute to a part of the business she’s most interested in. “I’m really happy in my role. I’m out of my comfort zone in the best way possible every day.”

Like Jeremy, she’s seized the opportunity to learn from the people around her. “It’s such a safe environment where you can just reach out to people and say, ‘I’m interested to learn more about your role, can we meet?’”  

For Z, the graduate programme is about helping to grow the next generation of leaders. As Nicola Law, Z’s CFO and programme sponsor, puts it, ‘Investing in young talent is good for everyone – great leaders make great businesses, and great businesses help build a stronger country. And in return, our graduates bring fresh thinking, new energy and ideas that strengthen Z and keep moving forward as a business’.

For Jeremy and Ella, the journey of learning and growth continues and they’re excited to be part of it. “I’m kind of blown away by the environment at Z,” Jeremy says. “I thought that in most places it was just head down, focus on yourself, do your work and go home. But everyone at Z is willing to give you everything you need and is rooting for you to succeed.”