Sustainable mining and renewable energy were front and centre as the Gold Industry Group (GIG) showcased the diverse employment opportunities in gold to more than 500 secondary students across Perth at this year’s Get Into Resources (GIR).
Over three days in June at North Metropolitan TAFE, students engaged with industry professionals from a range of mining disciplines, discovering what the resources industry has to offer through a host of interactive workshops, exercises, and one-on-one conversations.
The event was an invaluable opportunity for the mining industry to talk directly with its future workforce, showcasing the various Vocational Education Training (VET) and Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) pathways into mining, and the diverse range of roles available.
WA Minister for Mines and Petroleum Bill Johnston welcomed students on the first day, talking to the importance of the resources sector to the Australian economy and community, and encouraging the students to utilise the wealth of experience on hand at the event as they consider their career options.
This was certainly the case during the GIG’s popular wind turbine challenge, where curious students learnt how gold mining companies are reducing carbon emissions through the use of renewable energy sources, with the help of passionate workers from Gold Fields and Novo Resources.
The students were able to learn first-hand from Gold Fields workers about the Company’s Agnew Hybrid Renewable Project, the first in the country to power a mine with wind-generated electricity.
The students even built their own wind turbine from everyday materials, generating enough power to light up an LED.
The workshop got incredible feedback from the students, with many saying it had changed their perception of the mining industry and sparked their curiosity about a career in gold.
A special thank you to Novo Resources’ Recruitment Advisor Nicole Reweti and Sustainability Advisor Hannah Stonehill, and Gold Fields Australia’s Unit Manager: Taxation Daniel Borgas, Senior Specialist Emma Lwin, Unit Manager: Procurement and Materials Jarron Maisey, Unit Manager: OHS Matt Collier, Senior Financial Accountant Penny Funk, and Senior Accountant Stephanie Ridley for dedicating their time and expertise to the event.
Ms Stonehill said it was a privilege to spend the day with the industry’s future leaders discussing all things sustainability.
”Many perspectives were shared between great minds on the important topics of climate change, renewable energy and the influence they have on the gold mining industry,” she said.
Within the expo area, the GIG's booth showcased the Gold Jobs website, a one-stop-shop for gold industry jobs and information. Students were encouraged to visit the site and discover information on the various job roles, career pathways, programs, and employers, as well as case studies and interviews with workers in the industry.
It was fantastic to see so many students take the Gold Jobs Quiz, designed to help students discover roles within the industry that suit their personality and interests.
The event was also an amazing opportunity for the GIG to engage with educators across Perth, with the free National Gold Education Program and Gold Resources Kits attracting strong interest from teachers.
Feedback from teachers was that students were typically unaware of the variety of positions available in mining and the pre-qualifications they needed to kick-start their career, and many teachers expressed interest in booking the GIG’s free Gold Class Careers Sessions to help their students learn more about the pathways into gold.
The GIG was proud to support the 2022 Get Into Resources event as a diamond sponsor along with bronze sponsors and members St Barbara Limited and Westgold Resources.