Women in Energy - Jayde Ryan

“You shouldn’t underestimate the value of what you can bring.”

 – Jayde Ryan, Reporting Analyst, AGL.

I love the challenge of bringing clarity to complexity and connecting everyday work to the bigger picture of where AGL is heading.

At AGL, I lead Technology’s reporting and performance insights function, where I turn complex information into something meaningful, actionable and easy to understand, to help shape Technology’s future direction.

My role sits across people, technology, strategy and change management. No two days are quite the same. One day I might be working through a complex problem or analysing performance trends, and the next I’m exploring better ways to use data and insights.

Purpose, people and problem solving 

What I love most about working at AGL is the mix of purpose, people and problem-solving.

Being able to contribute to work that supports the energy transition and helps AGL adapt for the future is really motivating. 

Over the past 10 years, I’ve been fortunate to have leaders genuinely invested in my growth, who encourage me to step outside my comfort zone and back me to take on new challenges. Their support has opened doors to opportunities I may not have considered for myself.

I enjoy the challenge of taking something complex and making sense of it. Whether it’s connecting the dots across different data sources, tackling a tricky business problem or helping leaders understand what’s happening beneath the surface. It’s incredibly rewarding when you can uncover an insight or provide information that helps shape a decision.

AGL has given me so many opportunities to learn, grow and build a career

My path into energy wasn’t traditional. Before joining AGL, I worked in government and defence before making a career change and starting fresh in the energy sector. My first role at AGL was on the reception desk, which gave me a foot in the door and a chance to learn the business from the ground up.

From there, I took every opportunity that came my way. I moved into Team Assistant, Personal Assistant and Project Coordinator roles within Technology, which gave me exposure not only to how we build and run technology, but also to the many different parts of the business it supports. Working alongside a range of Technology leaders helped me develop a broad understanding of how AGL operates and how interconnected the business is. I gained exposure to everything from our consumer business and digital customer experience, through to Energy Operations, generation assets, trading, enterprise platforms, data and technology functions. It gave me a unique view of how the different parts of AGL come together to keep energy flowing to homes and businesses, while supporting the transformation of the energy sector.

Some of the most valuable experiences I’ve had were supporting leaders in our Data and Innovation teams. Those roles opened my eyes to the impact energy can have, both for individual customers and across communities, industries and the broader economy. Looking back, my career certainly wasn’t a traditional pathway into energy, but that’s one of the things I love most about the industry.  

Be curious, ask questions and back yourself 

My biggest advice is not to rule yourself out because you don’t have an energy background. There are many pathways into the industry, and the skills and experiences you bring are often more valuable than you realise. Some of the best opportunities in my career have come from putting my hand up, even when it meant stepping outside my comfort zone.

You don’t need to have everything figured out from day one. The moments that haven’t gone to plan have often taught me the most, helping me understand what didn’t work, adapt and try again.

Stay curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You don’t need to be the expert in the room to contribute; sometimes the best learning comes from asking for more context or a different explanation. Often, others are wondering the same thing, and those conversations can lead to better understanding and outcomes. Energy is an industry where you can keep learning, grow in unexpected ways and contribute to Australia’s energy future.