How is this company different to your expectations before joining?

There are really two parts to this answer, so I'll answer both. In a nutshell, it's completely different!

I started with IGO as a student, so my experience with mining and exploration companies was essentially hearsay, which is likely to be the same for the general public. So when I started my role as an exploration geologist I was blown away at how little I knew and how many benefits and opportunities are available to you.

As an employee of IGO, there's healthy lifestyle and mental wellbeing support, healthcare, mentoring programs, personal development opportunities, volunteering opportunities, STEM professionals in schools programs, partnerships with social support organisations you can get involved in, just to name a few. I didn't realise how many opportunities there would be working with IGO, and there's always something new going on.

Secondly, as a scientist, I really value continual learning and personal development. The exploration team at IGO have a strong affinity with research and pushing the boundaries of new technology to explore smarter. Being a part of this team has given me endless resources that are the highly technical earth scientists, short courses, conferences and in-house training courses that have allowed me to develop my technical skills and never stop learning. There is always a way we can be more responsible, more considerate, and explore smarter, being in a team which is at the forefront of that initiative is something I am really grateful for.