Community Relations
Warren
Role: Community Relations Officer
Company: WMC
Why are you involved with the minerals industry?
Money is one thing but the passion about making a difference is what drives me. I get to work with a range of people in the community and the industry. And because I live and work in the same town, I’m ultimately helping to make positive changes in my own area.
What advice would you give to a Year 10 who is thinking about a career like yours?
Make sure you get the appropriate qualifications that can lead you into a career within the industry, have a look at the companies within your region, have a look what they have to offer in terms of career paths. Start to talk to your student support officers that are based in the schools, start talking to the Education Department and your teachers about career based traineeships that you may undertake while you're still going to school. Talk about that sort of thing and start to think about where you want to be in five years from now, ten years from now, and what your career is going to be. You can do it, anybody can do that. It is a matter of having that drive to get up and go and have a look for yourself.
What do you see as the key skills and personal qualities that young people need to be successful in a role like yours?
You've got to be a good talker but you've got to be a better listener. You deal with a range of stakeholders and different groups of people everyday and you need to understand their issues, priorities and needs. When you listen to those people, that’s where your good initiatives for change come from.
Are there opportunities for young people in the minerals industry?
I grew up beside a 75 year old mining operation which is how I got into the industry. Now the industry is changing there are a lot more opportunities for younger people across a range of different jobs so I think young people have a great opportunity to map themselves out a career path in the minerals industry.
