Support for career development of women in QLD’s resources field is now being rolled out through the mentoring program run by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).
Aimed at increasing the participation of women in the mining industry, 140 female resource sector employees from across Queensland are taking part in the QRC and Women in Mining and Resources Queensland (WIMARQ) mentoring program.
Providing a structured and sustainable mentoring process that supports mentees through career guidance and direction, the program develops goals and builds mentoring relationships beyond the duration of the program.
Aiding retention and progression for women in these sectors, WIMARQ co-chair Sally Rayner said that the formal mentoring was key for creating a more inclusive workforce.
“The program has been extremely successful. By the end of last year’s program, almost 450 women had graduated from the program, with 96 percent of those surveyed saying it has had a positive impact on their career,” said Rayner.
“Inviting, encouraging, developing and retaining talented women to work in our sector means we are a lot closer to ensuring the longevity of our industry, because a diverse workplace culture is a stronger, smarter and more inclusive environment in which people can thrive.”
Focused on the positive outcomes of this project, QRC is providing this opportunity to expand further on the results that have been observed due to this program.
QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane highlighted the benefits of the mentoring at the launch of the program.
“It’s the perfect time to be building on our sector’s talent pool, because right now the sector is facing a critical skills shortage,” said Macfarlane.
“Queensland’s minerals and energy sector is in a period of sustained growth, and our future has never been brighter, due to the fact we are highly prospective for a unique and diverse mix of traditional and renewable resources, which will lead to a whole lot of new opportunities for our state and for every Queenslander in terms of long-term jobs and economic security.”
“Proving gender is no barrier to a diverse range of careers in Queensland’s resources sector, among this year’s mentees are engineers, tradespeople, data analysts, machine operators and human resources specialists – just to name a few – who want to build on their skills and capabilities.”