I was asked to speak to my career and share some of my experiences. While I was thinking about what to say, I tried to remember what it was like to be starting off in your career (feels like a long time ago now…), I was wondering what the most valuable professional lessons were that I’ve learned as I‘ve made my way through the oil and gas and mining industries. My main nuggets of old age wisdom were about never underestimating how much you can learn from failure - some of my biggest learning’s were from when I’ve fallen flat on my face! Other key areas that have stayed with me, have been around being happy about the choices you make. Like everyone, I’ve made choices I’ve had second thoughts about after, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found it’s better to reconcile yourself with your decisions and if they were truly disastrous make sure you a) do something about it and b) learn from it and don’t make the same choice again. Of course all these things sound very easy with 2020 hindsight but I’m hoping that just mentioning these things to the audience might make them more aware of some things that have helped me over the years.
The event was hosted at a city law firm, and the other speaker was a regulatory lawyer who works in the chemicals and mining practice. My spiel was very much orientated on coming into the mining sector having started off on a technical path and changing over the more non-technical areas, which are becoming equally important to the industry today. The second talk was focused on how the law also provides a wealth of opportunities, including mining.
I’m hoping that between us we were able to help the young graduates, soon to be graduates and other professional women understand that mining is an industry with a wealth of opportunities for different disciplines. After the talks it was a chance for us all to chat more informally, everyone was really engaged and asked lots of question. It was really lovely to speak to the other women and I shall try to see myself as ‘seasoned’ as opposed to old… and of course I hope the event also helped dispel the traditional stereotype that mining is just for engineers and men.
