AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter

Such a privilege to participate in the first Women In Mining NSW Leadship day in Wollongong, and take our amazing University of Wollongong Mining students along. Thank you to Suzy Miller for an insightful day focused on leading yourself and Sarah Carli for encouraging us to go from strength to strength. Many thanks to the very generous sponsorship and support by AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter and AusIMM Illawarra Branch to develop our future Women in Mining leaders. Women In Mining NSW facilitate networking, leadership days and mentoring. If you would like to know more please join our mailing list or follow our LinkedIn page. Thank you to our amazing committee for making this happen Courtney Rawson, Michelle Lawson, Cheryl Holland, Stephanie Gelland, Katherine Courtney, Elena Stocker, Amanda West. Congratulations to our students who demonstrated excellent professionalism motivation and commitment to building their skills and careers in mining Naomi Bell, Tanyka Kershaw, Lucy O'Brien, Lillian Jackson, Amelia Wilson, Binol B., khushi sarin, Chloe Draper

At the end of the winter break, four committee members joined the AusIMM UWA Student Chapter on a trip to explore the coalfields in Wollongong. All 10 WA representatives shared experiences in various forms of underground hard rock and open pit metal mining and were thus eager to learn more about how our national power grid is fuelled. After landing and attending a Barminco industry night at UNSW with the AusIMM Sydney Student Chapter, the education started at the Southern Mines Rescue Station. Far more advanced than anything we had seen in the west, the station is a true ‘on-call’ facility capable of rapid rescue response to any callout within its operating area. During our engaging tour, we witnessed teams completing their annual ‘refresher’ course in the mock underground mine and smoke simulator. The following day saw the group venture to Port Kembla to BlueScope, Australia's largest manufacturer and supplier of flat steel. The remarkable tour allowed students to witness the steel-making process from the beginning to the final rolled steel product. It was indeed an incredible sight. The day finished with the team at Green Gravity Lab, a startup company with the technology to repurpose non-operational mine shafts for green energy storage and creation. The final day was much anticipated. Peabody Energy granted the WASM crew underground access to their Metropolitan asset. After all safety inductions, we went down the shaft and into the ‘drifter’. Longwall mining is a foreign concept to most in WA, and the expression of awe across everyone’s faces clearly showed how amazing a learning experience it was. Of course, this trip wouldn’t have happened without Zack Oswald and Thomas Jackson from the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter and the Illawarra coal industry’s desire to educate people. You’ve tempted us all with a move to coal, alas, it’s time the Illawarra SC ventures West to see the shiny stuff!

The AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter held its annual Silver Sponsor Evening on August 6, at Novotel Wollongong. The event featured a Q&A panel with industry leaders, including Nicolas Tucker, Stella De Best, and Amanda Crehan. With MCs Zack Oswald and Thomas Jackson doing a cracking job at running this event. Students and graduates had the chance to network, hear first hand about career opportunities, and personal advice from top industry professionals. Big thank you to our Silver Sponsors Peabody Energy, Glencore, South32 and Alkane Resources Ltd , as well as, of course, AusIMM for making this fantastic event possible!

The NSW Minerals Council recently hosted a series of four Mining Careers Dinners, providing high school students, parents, and career advisers with valuable opportunities to explore various pathways in the NSW mining industry. These events, held in Singleton, Orange, Wollongong, and Newcastle, featured engaging career conversations, insights from industry professionals, and support from community and education providers. University of Wollongong students played a significant role in these events, participating as panellists and running informational stalls. Their contributions were instrumental in inspiring young attendees and providing first-hand accounts of careers in the mining sector. We extend our gratitude to the NSW Minerals Council for organizing these events and to the members of the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter for their continued passion to inspire the next generation of mining professionals. Together, we are shaping the future of the mining industry.

Over the winter break, 6 lucky committee members from the AusIMM UWA and WASM Chapters had the opportunity to travel over East to Wollongong, to experience all of what coal mining has to offer. The week started at the Southern Mines Rescue Station, which provided an overview of coal mining as a whole, and how the station would assist in the case of a mine emergency in the area. Facilities on site included a simulated underground environment, VR setup, and other simulated training areas. Next was the Blue Scope Port Kembla Steelworks. The largest manufacturer and supplier of flat steel in Australia, a 3 hour bus tour was needed to tackle this massive facility. The day finished at the Green Gravity Lab which sparked interesting conversations around repurposing disused mine structures for green energy storage. Then was the much awaited underground tour, at South 32’s Appin East Colliery. Joel Langham-Williams provided an overview of the site before taking us underground. Long wall mining is a foreign concept to most students from WA, so getting to stand at the Long Wall face was an unreal learning experience for all. Our utmost thanks go out to Zack Oswald and Thomas Jackson from the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter, for who without the trip never would’ve happened. Thank you, and we hope to repay the favour with a trip to WA! 👏🏼👏🏼⛏️⛏️

Last night, Newmont Australia had the opportunity to interact with over fifty AusIMM Illawarra students, in a unique blend of networking and trivia. Students heard from keynote speaker Leonard Rowe, Principal Open Pit Engineer, sharing his career story and practical advice. In addition, our Cadia Graduate - Mining Engineering representatives Wytse de Boer and Samuel McKenzie shared their key learnings, highlights and challenges encountered part of their early career's journeys.   However, the real winners were the “Wollongong Gold” table, proving to be both inQUIZitive and knowledgeable. Including knowing the date that applications close for our 2024 Newmont Vacation Program, being this Sunday, 4th August 2024. It’s great to continue building relationships with the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter, as part of our gold sponsorship. To learn more about our award-winning Vacation Program, ranked #13 on the 2024 Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) and apply, visit https://lnkd.in/g2MqNYed #NewmontAustralia #joinusatNewmont #topinternprograms #MiningCareers

Last month, the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter took 20 University of Wollongong students on a career-inspiring tour of three open-cut coal mines in the Hunter Valley. The trip ignited students' interest in the industry by showcasing the massive scale of open-cut mining operations. The first stop was BHP's Mount Arthur; the students toured the open pit operation and gained insights into the current mining operation and industry-leading rehabilitation practices. Next, Yancoal Australia Ltd's Mount Thorley Warkworth. The group was impressed by the dramatic scale of the dragline and shovel operations, and then Yancoal representatives highlighted their safety culture and career pathways.   Lastly, Glencore Australia's Bulga mine, where Students witnessed an open-cut truck and shovel operation and the historic underground workings of Blakefield being mined through, highlighting the complexity and evolution of mining techniques.  Each tour not only provided students with unique operational, technical, and environmental insights but also opened up exciting career prospects. We extend our sincere thanks to our site contacts who assisted in the organisation: Eliza Carlson (Mount Arthur BHP), Hayden Nicol (Mount Thorley Warkworth Yancoal), Gordan Akuma (Bulga Glencore) for their guidance. Also, a special mention to UOW Academic Kevin Marston and chapter member Khoi Nguyen for their efforts organising the tour. It's Critical that companies like Yancoal, Glencore, and BHP continue to create these opportunities for our students, as these events have a profound impact, igniting a passion in students who aspire to have a career in the mining industry. 

Our HR Manager Belinda had a wonderful time meeting all the students at the Illawarra Student meets Industry night in Wollongong recently, while Mining Engineer Cosmin talked about how to navigate a #career in #mining. If you're interesting in vacation and graduate employment opportunities, check out our careers page and contact us at https://lnkd.in/gRe5-QCN

This week, the 3rd and 4th year Mining Engineering students at the University of Wollongong had the pleasure of hearing from Matt Stone from Resolve Mining Solutions; Matt was a guest lecturer for the 4th year 'Mine Valuation' subject. He covered topics such as the financial jargon and techniques used in the mining industry, as well as real-world examples of large-scale cost estimates and cash flow studies for setting up a new mining operation. Matt and Aaron Hunter (both are UOW alumni) have previously assisted with the 2nd year 'Underground Mining Methods' subject, providing students with a basic entry-level understanding of hard rock mining. They also played a crucial role in delivering the 3rd-year 'Mine Planning' and 4th-year capstone 'Mine Design' subjects, where they taught mine planning techniques and the fundamentals of the mine design software used in the industry. The chapter and the students at UOW are nothing but grateful to Matt and the team at Resolve, for the contribution they have made to the learning and development of the next generation of mining professionals from the Illawarra!

INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT | Congratulations to the AusIMM Illawarra Student Chapter on their recent Student Meets Industry Night. A big turnout of both students and industry professionals provided invaluable networking opportunities and discussions. SCT are proud supporters and sponsors of this very professional group. Well done Thomas Jackson, Zack Oswald and the wider team, we got great value from engaging with such a talented group of aspiring mining professionals. #ausimm #students #illawarra #industry #mining #engineering