A mixed bag of roles and experiences, now happily back in exploration
After graduating I commenced my career in remote exploration with contracting and junior companies focussed primarily on gold projects. The contracting and junior explorer industry granted me a wide range of experiences and responsibilities (A favourite memory was watching a full moon rise along the Gunbarrel Highway whilst mobilising a camp from Perth to Alice Springs with a great team of people, bypassing Uluru on the way).
After several great years in the industry, I found myself out of work during the 2013 downturn which forced me to become versatile and adapt some of my acquired skills in order to find meaningful employment. This saw me through a variety of contract roles in exploration, as both a geologist and field assistant, as well as finding employment in industries outside of the resources sector i.e. Local Government. My hiatus from the resources industry was further extended after taking a year off from professional work to trave the west coast of the US and Canada with my partner at the time (who is now my wife!). In hindsight, my period spent out of the industry, in both alternative work as well as travel, has been surprisingly beneficial to my career in a variety of ways I couldn't have previously predicted; ultimately culminating in my ability to be versatile and have confidence in myself and my skills gained from previous experiences.
Upon returning to Perth it was evident that the resources industry had been revitalized in my absence and there was plenty of work available and with empty pockets, curtesy of travel, it was perfect timing for me to re-enter the industry. I was quite nervous about returning after so long outside of my role as a geologist but, almost five years later, I can say that it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made!
I implement improvements within our project to ensure we are efficient
In my current role as Project Geologist within the Fraser Range Project team I am primarily tasked with assessing and maintaining our tenement package to ensure that we utilise our resources effectively and efficiently whilst carrying out our exploration efforts. I systematically assess, communicate and administer the changes required to our tenement package that remove the areas deemed as low priority to enable our team to focus their targeting efforts and budgets on our high priority areas.
My role also sees me identifying areas for improvement within our operations and subsequently developing and implementing solutions with the assistance from the various other departments within IGO (i.e. IT, Finance, Environmental, Heritage, HR). The remainder of my time is spent assisting others where possible to improve their skills or offer advice based on my experiences across technical aspects, field operations, administrative tasks or people management.
The ability to contribute to a company who is creating a better future
IGO is focussed on delivering the metals that are required for the electrification of our world and ensuring a better, more sustainable future for our world. Being part of a team that is tasked with uncovering the next big EV metal discovery is my way of contributing to a better future for my kids and grandkids.
Be honest, transparent and confident in yourself and your experiences
Helping others with learning how to manage remote drilling projects
I was once lucky enough to be in the position to help train up younger geologists that were not only new to the world of remote exploration but also new to Australia. Over one exploration season I was able to teach and guide someone who hadn't been exposed to remote drilling operations previously and watch them grow their own skills, knowledge and confidence. I had many a proud moment witnessing this growth, especially considering the unique work and living environment of remote projects and the challenges they bring.
Seeing these individuals grow their skillsets and confidence throughout the season, swing after swing, ultimately ending with them managing their own remote exploration camps independently was extremely satisfying and rewarding and perhaps most importantly, a very enjoyable experience over the course of a year.
