Caleb Jasmat

Early Career Lead, Contact Energy
Bachelor of Business in Management with a minor in Marketing

He believes that he has one of the coolest and most impactful roles in his company, says business alumnus Caleb Jasmat who is now the early career lead at Contact Energy.

“Through my role I get the opportunity to work with people at the beginning of their careers and help them shape their experience as a positive and meaningful one. I love that I’ve been given the reigns to build the company’s early career strategy around how we attract, develop and retain individuals starting their careers.

“In the space of 12 months, Contact Energy went from being ranked 87th in New Zealand’s top 100 graduate employers to second overall, and first in the energy and utilities industry. I enjoy seeing the impact my mahi has had on the organisation. Seeing so many bright and enthusiastic graduates, interns and apprentices adding value across the organisation is awesome, and provides a small sense of pride knowing I had a part to play in their journey.”

But this isn’t the only career highlight Caleb is particularly proud of.

“While I was studying, I was working for a recruitment agency in the construction industry, and in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development we developed the ‘Better Me’ programme, which over the course of 12 months supported 40 individuals who were unemployed back into full-time employment, as well as providing literacy and numeracy training. It was a finalist for the Diversity Works 'Skills Highway' workplace education award in 2018, and remains some of the most impactful work I’ve ever been a part of.

“Another achievement that stands out to me was during COVID. I was due to head overseas on my OE and had already handed in my resignation when the world went into lockdown. I found myself out of a job and directionless for the first time in my life. It’s amazing how resilient and adaptable humans are when faced with adversity. I pivoted my career and started my own contracting business. It forced me out of my comfort zone, enabled me to develop skills I otherwise wouldn’t have learnt; taught me the art of building, maintaining and leveraging relationships; and helped me gain a breadth and depth of knowledge that has proved invaluable to my career.”

Memories of AUT
Caleb says he still has fond memories of his time at AUT and believes learning how to learn is the most important skill university can teach you.

“University showed me that I could stick at something for a prolonged period, commit myself to a cause and ultimately graduate or ‘pass’ the degree. I left university knowing how I learn best, the type of environments that I thrive in and don’t thrive in, which has put me in great stead throughout my career to date. Yes, achievements and awards are great recognition to receive for the hard work you’ve done, but being able to take what you’ve learnt and apply it to a career, that is the most valuable aspect of your degree.”

University was a little different for him than for other students, he admits.

“I ended up working full-time in a professional role while completing my degree. Having the opportunity to gain the theoretical knowledge and then being able to apply it in a real business was an incredible experience to have so early on in my career. The connections I made with other students were also a highlight for me as the relationships you build at university are invaluable throughout your career.”

Advice for other students
Caleb, who graduated from AUT in 2017, has some great advice for other students.

“My advice is to take time to reflect and think about what it is that you truly value and enjoy. The sooner you understand what you want out of your career or job, the easier it makes finding work that is meaningful and enjoyable to you.”

It's sound advice, based on his own experiences.

“It took me eight years to take the time to do this. I had the fortunate opportunity to spend six months abroad, living out a dream of playing cricket semi-professionally in the UK, which gave me time to reflect on my past work experience and look forward to what the future held. I realised the four things that I truly value are people, projects, problem-solving and purpose. The specifics of the role matter much less as long as they involve these four components.”