Page 34 - Inclusion and diversity – Partnering for change

Our stories

From a café to a copper mine

– women in trade apprenticeships

at Olympic Dam

“Joining the Apprenticeship Program was one of the best

decisions I’ve ever made. The opportunities in mining
are endless, especially if you have a trade.”

Dianne Taylor, Mechanical Fitter Apprentice

Dianne Taylor is an apprentice
at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine
in South Australia. She is part
of the 53 per cent of women
who now make up the mine’s
Apprenticeship Program.
In 2017, only 6.5 per cent of
Olympic Dam’s apprentices were
female. With an aspirational goal
to achieve gender balance across
BHP by 2025, something needed
to change.
BHP put the challenge to contract
manager MEGT, specialists in Watch more here
traineeship and apprenticeship
recruitment, to increase the
number of female apprentices Together, MEGT and BHP worked Jess O’Malley, MEGT Contract
at Olympic Dam. to remove some of the potential Manager, encourages anyone
barriers to achieving this goal. interested in a trade, and a job
Isaac Hinton, Vice President, Among other things, they took in the mining industry, to apply.
Minerals Logistics & Non Process steps to create a more welcoming
Infrastructure, Procurement, BHP, and safe environment in “We encourage people to come,
said contract management and accommodation areas, provided go through the interview process,
working together in partnership breastfeeding facilities and made and speak to the people who
was key. improvements to the work wear are involved in the program,”
available for women. said Jess.
“We had strong alignment
between MEGT and teams And the results speak for “I think women are pleasantly
across BHP on the importance themselves. surprised by how much they can
of diversity within the program, get out of the program – with a
with operational teams, the Among the current intake of trade you can go anywhere in
Procurement team and MEGT apprentices are school leavers, the world.”
working closely to change the retail industry workers and
culture and attract more diverse a former barista have joined The challenge to bring more
candidates,” said Isaac. MEGT and BHP to work their way diversity to the program has
through a four-year program to brought many benefits.
gain a trade qualification.

BHP Inclusion and diversity – Partnering for change 32 February 2020