The Challenge
Cordova Energy Infrastructure operates transmission assets across three regions. In two of those regions, community relations had become a reputational concern — local consultations on new infrastructure projects were generating organised opposition, and Cordova's existing community engagement was not producing goodwill. Sponsoring local sports teams was not a sufficient response to communities asking hard questions about the value of having high-voltage lines near their homes.
What We Built
We ran community consultation in all three operating regions to identify genuine gaps. STEM education emerged as a consistent priority: secondary schools in these areas had limited resources for practical science and technology, and there was strong appetite from teachers and parents for structured industry engagement.
The programme design included:
- A schools partnership framework with clear mutual commitments
- A 14-session curriculum for Year 9 and 10 students, co-developed with teachers
- An annual STEM competition with prizes and media coverage
- A bursary scheme for A-level STEM study
- A structured pathway to summer work experience placements at Cordova sites
The Outcome
Six school partnerships were established across the three regions. Year one delivered 14 workshops and reached 480 students. The bursary scheme received 34 applications in its first year. In both previously contentious regions, community relations scores in Cordova's annual stakeholder survey improved measurably in the year following programme launch.
