Graduates Choose Contact Again As Top Energy Employer

Contact Energy (Contact) has been named the most sought-after energy and utilities employer for graduates for a second year running.

Every year, graduate recruitment specialist Prosple ranks Aotearoa New Zealand’s best workplaces for people starting their career and recognises employers that demonstrate a commitment to New Zealand graduates.

Contact secured the top spot for the energy and utilities sector and came second overall in Prosple’s Top 100 Graduate Employers for 2025, for the second consecutive year.

Prosple’s graduate employer rankings are based on a combination of graduate programme popularity, such as the number of applications submitted for a programme, and the quality of a programme determined by the satisfaction of those taking part.

Recent graduates surveyed by Prosple gave Contact an overall satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5, citing the work culture, meaningful work, people, and opportunity to explore different areas of the business as some of the top draws for working there.

Contact’s Chief People Experience Officer, Jan Bibby says Contact’s top positions in the graduate employer rankings complement the organisation’s aspiration to be the most sought-after place to work in the country, with a workforce that reflects Aotearoa.

“We’re humbled that graduates see Contact as a great place to start their career. We believe it is important to create a nurturing environment where early talent can really thrive,” says Jan.

“In return, recent graduates bring new perspectives and ideas which help us shape the future of the organisation and strengthen the energy sector workforce.”

Now in its fifth year, Contact’s graduate programme has supported 36 newly qualified students to date. The programme enables recent graduates to gain valuable skills and experience working across different areas of the business – from energy generation to IT – over 18 months, while earning a highly competitive salary.

Engineering graduate Jaden Zeng says he’s been impressed with the opportunities the programme has given him.

“What I have enjoyed the most about being in Contact’s graduate programme is the opportunity to dive into a wide breadth of projects, allowing me to expand my knowledge and interest across multiple disciplines,” says Jaden.

“I did not expect to make such an impact right away, but at Contact you are trusted and given opportunities to take on such responsibility.”

Expressions of interest for Contact’s 2026 graduate programme are open now and applications open on Monday 14 April. Details about Contact’s graduate programme can be found on the Prosple website here.

About Contact’s graduate programme

• Contact’s graduate programme was established in 2020 and was initially available to engineering students.   
• In 2023, the programme was made available to graduates in a range of disciplines including data science, communications, economics, statistics and software development.    
• Contact’s graduate programme enables recent graduates to earn a highly competitive salary gaining valuable skills and experience, while Contact nurtures early talent that can help shape the future of our organisation.  
• Contact believes it is important to have a workforce that reflects New Zealand. Contact works with First Foundation to provide scholarship opportunities to enable students from lower socio-economic backgrounds to attend university, supporting students with financial support, mentorship and work experience.
• Contact is focused on encouraging and supporting more female, Māori and Pasifika students to study STEM subjects and pursue careers within the energy industry.
• Contact will welcome nine recent graduates in 2025 and supported 12 interns over the 2024/25 summer break across the business this year. A total of 36 graduates will then have taken part in our graduate programme. 

About Contact

Contact Energy is one of New Zealand’s largest energy generators and retailers. We have more than 607,000 customer connections with electricity, gas, broadband and mobile plans. We currently operate 11 power stations across New Zealand, using geothermal, hydro and thermal energy to generate electricity.

We are committed to leading the decarbonisation of New Zealand, and it is our vision to create and contribute to a better place to live; from the homes and communities we live in, to the land and resources that future generations can enjoy. 

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