Page 57 - pd301-Feb22-mag-web_Neat1

ple already taking the initiative to stop it.” “[At WASM] we’re really looking at
Wade graduated from WASM last year, it through a holistic manner and really
and like many of his peers, was already breaking down some of the boundaries
transitioning to the early stages of his of these traditional disciplines,” he said.
career before finishing his studies. He “This year, my biggest focus was to get
started with Saracen Mineral Holdings people talking to each other and start
prior to its merger with Northern Star as breaking down some of the boundaries.”
part of its vacation work programme. Hitch, who has taught at institutions
Undergraduate programmes like that such as the University of British Colum-
are common in the industry as compa- bia, said Australia needs to start export-
nies take the initiative to fill roles in a con- ing its world-class skills to the rest of the
strained labour market. world.
Investment house Argonaut reported “Our mining sector is the best in the
in January that labour constraints had world,” he said. “Our safety is the best
become a standout issue last year in in the world. Our operating practices are
WA, and was only exacerbated by the best in the world. We should be looking
pandemic stemming international travel. at how we can share that with the rest of
It became a “perfect storm”, as Hitch the world as well. I think that’s a really
explained, when the pandemic struck, Michael Hitch important thing.
and Australia struggled to import expat “How do we take what we do so well
workers. school children, to “build awareness of here and export it to other places that
“The challenge we’re facing is that opportunities in the modern technology- haven’t quite got there yet, places like
we’re not getting the front end; people driven Australian minerals industry”. Latin America, Africa or Central Asia?
coming into the programme,” he said. Video games include “Old as Dirt!”, a “How can we work with those places
“Therefore, we’re not getting the people software teaching students about iron to transfer the technology and the best
coming out of the programme to satisfy ore’s journey from pit to port and “Re- practices that are phenomenal here. The
the current demand for graduates. source, Respond, Rescue” – a Minecraft bottom line here of what we do is ex-
“What some companies have begun modification explaining what a mine port prosperity and improve livelihoods.
to do, is look at disciplines and skill sets emergency response team does. Through that and the materials we pro-
that may not necessarily be perfect for Hitch, a North American expat, has duce, we assist in alleviating poverty.
what they need – but they’re able to em- taught and worked across many coun- That’s what we do, that’s our job.
ploy and train them to be a fit…taking a tries and continues to marvel at WA’s ex- “That feeds into the DNA of being as-
chemical engineer instead of a metallur- pertise in the resources industry. pirational.”
gical engineer, for example.” In combatting labour constraints, he – Fraser Palamara
The Minerals Council of Australia has believes fostering collaboration across
employed techniques such as education- disciplines will continue to produce
al videogames to promote the industry to world-class innovation.

aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT FeBRUaRY 2022 Page 57