Career change leads to coveted award for TLC’s Adam Saunders
29 October 2026
A career change from skydiving to the electricity industry has led The Lines Company’s Adam Saunders to a national award at this year’s Connexis Annual Connection.
Adam won the Connexis Leadership Award, a coveted trophy awarded to the most outstanding line mechanic team leader during the live three-day competition.
Adam joined TLC as a Line Mechanic in September 2024 before being promoted into his current role of Team Leader. Hearing the announcement during the awards ceremony came as quite a surprise.
“I wasn’t expecting to hear my name called,” said Adam. “Especially knowing some of the other team leaders who took part in the event; and the high standards they brought to their teams throughout the event. It was quite humbling.”
Adam’s journey into the electricity sector was unusual. Before becoming a line mechanic, he worked in skydiving, filming tandem jumps. When COVID disrupted that work, he needed a new direction.
An opportunity with Horizon Networks in Whakatāne opened the door to an apprenticeship and a career in electricity distribution. He trained as a line mechanic at Horizon Networks and later worked for a small Rotorua contracting company undertaking work for Unison Networks, before joining TLC.
Along the way, Adam says he has been fortunate to work with team leaders and managers who have led by example. And leading by example was exactly Adam’s approach during the three-day event, and the leadership style he provides his team in his role with TLC.
For Adam, the crew is a big part of what makes coming to work worthwhile. He enjoys seeing trainees develop their skills and become qualified line mechanics, providing opportunities that benefit them beyond their current roles.
Sharing knowledge is something he values and his leadership approach to this is straightforward.
“If you know something that could help someone else develop further, pass it on,” he said.
Adam sees plenty of possibilities for people considering the electricity industry, from working in the field to exploring the other career pathways the sector offers. He encourages people to apply for the trainee line mechanic opportunities TLC offers each year, describing the company as a great place to work and an apprenticeship as the start of a rewarding career with plenty of pathways to explore.
Asked where an apprenticeship could take someone starting out today, his answer is simple: “It could take you anywhere.”
Our line mechanic team of Adam, Kerehama Marshall-Hepi, Tallis Karaitiana and Riddick Rangitonga also won the Electrical Theory category for the three-day competitive event – a great award for showcasing our teams’ commitment to the basics.