CHALLENGING NORMS, ACHIEVING GREATNESS: DELVE INTO THE SUCCESS STORY OF OUR TRAILBLAZING APPRENTICE, CHELSIE

The HVO maintenance sheds are where you’ll find one very happy electrical apprentice.

Meet Chelsie, a second-year electrical apprentice at Hunter Valley Operations who is paving the way for more women in trades.

The 22 year-old’s journey into the industry was guided by her strong family connection to mining. Chelsie’s father, a former operator inspired the youngster when at school, describing the sheer size and scale of machinery and equipment on site. The result, a strong desire to pursue a career in mining.

“Waking up early, seeing the sunrise when you get to the site, it’s the best feeling, and then going out and working on the equipment, seeing how it all works… you don’t realise until you’re actually doing it how incredible mining is.”

Chelsie’s experience at HVO has been overwhelmingly positive and has lived up to her expectations as an ideal career path with a strong future. She hopes her experiences will inspire others to consider a career in mining.

 “Being in this industry, I feel like we need more women tradespeople. The support that I get from my teammates is amazing; they’re always there to help if I need it,” she said.

HVO’s Learning and Development Co-ordinator Paul Watters, says as apprentices learn, they become more independent and self-sufficient.

“Our apprentices attend work readiness programs run through Hunter V Tec. Our apprentices get to work alongside and learn from amazing HVO tradespeople, some of whom have 30 to 40 years’ experience to pass on,” he said.

Watters speaks to apprentices about perception and credibility.

“Being engaged, having a go, and demonstrating work ethic helps to build long term skills and a rewarding and successful career.”

HVO recruits apprentices through the Glencore Coal Australia apprenticeship program. For information about unearthing other career opportunities with HVO visit our website careers page. 

As we celebrate trailblazers like Chelsie, HVO apprentices are ready to forge their future in the industry. Watch the video of Chelsie here.