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need you, when they are sick they need is more and more critical in terms of how they are going to get more qualified
you right now – and sometimes when making sure that the contribution of men women into the workplace and taking
things go wrong at work, as a leader and women are really valued. People some of those potential barriers away I
you feel like you need to be there right need to feel like they are making a am behind. But, the concept of a quota
now. Some of the operational things at contribution; make them feel they are has some of the wrong connotations.
work you want to be there other than making a difference after doing a second
having other people manage things in shift on the home-front is really critical I : What is your advice for women
your place. That was probably what think, too. Q aspiring to climb the corporate/
was hardest with the first two children; executive ladder?
trying to manage those priorities and : What has changed during your : It really helps to have spent years
feel as though I am doing both jobs well. Q time in industry? A in your career with some of the
Often it felt like I was compromising : The big change I have seen is on more challenging hands on operational
both of them. With my third child it was A the understanding of the business roles – site leadership roles and the
a very different situation. There was a case of diversity and diverse teams. meaty finance roles like M&A. Often
downturn in industry and my role was When I started in the workplace, I women opt out of the development path
effectively redundant, so there wasn’t don’t remember any discussion around of those roles because they come at a
any pressure to come back. I ended having a diverse workforce, women time when women are having families
up taking a redundancy. The positive in the workplace and how different and they are making choices. I would
was that it was a different experience perspectives were going to add business never question that. I think we need to
then, managing a very small child and value. It wasn’t until I had been working think about how we make sure people
positioning myself mentally in terms of for about 15 years that I heard research take time out in that way and how we
how I came across another job in the showed that successful companies were people get that experience. I think it is
organisation and appear to be a strong ones that had more diverse leadership still entirely social for a woman to say
candidate. The other positive coming teams and more diverse workforces and ‘I am going to take a couple years part
back after maternity leave was that there that was like a revelation. That conviction time to focus on the family’ and that is
was a time for reflection and to assess has probably mentally changed most, often something men don’t feel they
whether I wanted to get back to fulltime but I think there is still work to be done have that choice. I think people want
work. When I had those moments, I about how and why that diversity diversity, but don’t necessarily challenge
was able to remember this was what I adds value and how we lead in such how they lead, I think we have to
chose and had to get on with it. Having a way that we do get the value. Also, challenge that. I think you also need to
the deliberate choice, rather than have workplaces saying harassment is not ok, take a level of risk and take a challenge.
something that has come onto you was pin ups are not ok. When I started, if I Do those roles that you aren’t sure that
how I looked at it. had commented on any of those things, you can do, because if you only ever do
I think it would have been a negative. the things that you are sure you can do,
: What can be done to help Nowadays, that stuff just doesn’t happen you won’t grow. You have to be resilient
Q partners with their industry and shouldn’t and if it does happen it is because it won’t work all the time. You
ambitions? dealt with. There is no more powerful need to protect yourself and put those
: The single most important thing for sign to a woman that she doesn’t really networks around you and have strategy
A a female to have a successful belong than asking her to wear clothes so if things don’t go well you can pick
career is to have a partner who doesn’t that are too big and don’t fit. It wasn’t yourself up and say ‘what did I learnt
see having a family as the woman’s role. until later in my career that I thought one from that and how do I go forward?’.
Most of the women I know who have reason I don’t belong here is because
succeeded in mining have a partner who nothing really fitted me. Gear that fits : Is there anything that you would
does have an equal share or in many women is just standard now. Q have done differently?
cases does more than half the work and : If I had that increased level of self
is very supportive. It is important that the : Are you in favour of quotas to A belief when I was younger it would
female partner is not expected to take Q boost female participation in the have been helpful. Like many people, at
the bulk of the load, there are times that sector? times I had knockbacks and it took time
it does happen because of biological : I don’t support quotas. I would to pick myself up. I listened to feedback
needs. In the workforce, with most of A never like to be somewhere about what I wasn’t doing right rather
our leaders being male, the way that because of a quota. The concept of than taking it in context.
men lead and their inclusive leadership targets which leads people to think about

Alicia Hurkmans is this year’s Exceptional Young Woman “There are a lot of young girls out there who need to
in Australian Resources. Hurkmans is a turnaround hear about the women who are working in the resources
engineer with Shell and has Bachelor of Science sector. It’s an incredibly rewarding place to work.”
(Biotechnology) and Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) Hurkmans started her career as a vacation student at BHP
from the University of Adelaide. Ltd’s Olympic Dam in South Australia, before taking up an
“I hope that I can use the award to bring some recognition internship with Shell Australia in Perth.
to the fact that there’s still a lot of work to be done within A key part of her ongoing career ambition is to contribute
the diversity piece within our communities, within our to shifting societal perspectives towards equality,
industry and within our sector, and I hope that the work encouraging young women to be confident about their
that is being done can be celebrated,” Hurkmans said. abilities and pursuing their visions.

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