Mining graduates get leg up at Roy Hill

An innovative graduate program at Roy Hill is providing mining engineering graduates an alternative pathway to enter the company at a time of increasing unemployment for these graduates.

Since January 2016, the Step Up program has taken on 10 graduates in truck operator roles to help them gain valuable hands-on industry experience and enhance their future career prospects during tough economic times.

According to the Australian Graduate Survey, employment for mining engineering graduates plummeted from 96.0 per cent in 2013 to 76.3 per cent in 2016.

Chief executive Barry Fitzgerald said Roy Hill wanted to do something to address this issue by offering successful candidates fixed-term contracts as haul-truck operators for up to three years.

He added Step Up was a significant departure from traditional graduate programs, that rotated graduates through different professional areas of the business.

“I am delighted that we are able to provide a helping hand to young people out there, who would otherwise be struggling to find a job in mining,” he said.

“The program offers valuable experience for these graduates on a multitude of fronts.

“And the fresh thinking and energy our graduates provide back to the business ensures that Step Up is a good investment not just for their future, but for that of Roy Hill.”

Fortescue provides all training on the job along with a nationally recognised qualification of Certificate III in Surface Extraction Operations and recruits gain a first hand understanding of how a mine operates — from production drivers through to crew management.

One of the first to join Roy Hill through the Step Up Program was Mirabelle Molukun, a graduate from the University of Western Australia.

Ms Molukun said she was looking forward to gaining a “hands on” perspective of the operation, which would benefit her performance as an engineer in the future.

“I think it’s wonderful to see Roy Hill take the initiative to provide much needed opportunities for mining engineering graduates to get their foot in the door, especially in this job climate,” she said.

As operations ramp up and the mine progresses towards its 55Mtpa target continues, at Roy Hill’s truck operator workforce will expand from 97 people up to 264 people.