Superintendent, Mining Operations at Mt Rawdon
“Be ambitious in the pursuit”
Emma’s Story
“My grandparents were hobby gold-seekers in New Zealand. As a little girl, Dad took me on adventures, gold pan in hand…” Meet Evolution Mining’s Geologist turned Business Analyst, Emma Stuart. Here, she shares her story of how she has grasped opportunities with both hands to build a dynamic career with an employer she feels truly supports her.
Born on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay in Nelson, New Zealand, Emma’s family had a history of gold-seeking. Childhood memories of gold-prospecting combined with a love for geography and earth science as a student led Emma to study geology at university.
“I was fascinated with minerals and how rocks formed. At seventeen, Dad and I visited a mining site where his friend worked. I was intrigued by the operations side of things – we were right in the thick of it. I wanted to work outdoors and I didn’t want to be office-bound, so I pursued a career in mining.”
After completing her studies, Emma joined Evolution Mining’s graduate program in 2013. She started as a Mine Geologist in Cracow, QLD where she would do Fly In Fly Out (FIFO) work from the Sunshine Coast on an eight days on, six days off roster.
“I moved across the ditch where I didn’t know anyone – it was exciting and challenging. I spent a lot of my time at Cracow underground, working with service crew and on drill rigs. After a year and a half, I transferred to Mt Carlton for some open-pit experience.”
In 2018, Emma took some time out to travel and explore beyond the dusty Aussie horizon. After 2 months travelling America Emma returned to Evolution Mining as an Operations Business Analyst, based in Sydney.
“It was something completely different. I was attracted by the opportunity to get exposure across different mining sites and work with our high-calibre leaders. Every day is different and I enjoy the fast-paced variety and challenges. I’m on the road a lot. Every quarter, I visit each of our mining sites with our COO, Bob Fulker, to provide information to guide best-practice site operations.”
Beyond the opportunity to travel, one of the best aspects of Emma’s role, she says, is improving site operational processes through technology.
“I’m always thinking about ways to do things better. It’s pretty cool when you see processes change and simplify, it’s satisfying knowing you were key to that.”
Diversity at Evolution
Emma says Evolution Mining has been creative in their efforts to improve gender diversity and attract top talent – from graduate programs to recruiting employees’ partners.
“We have hired couples as this means Evolution can maximise the couple’s skills. If they’re both enjoying working remote, they’ll have a great incentive to stay. Evolution also approaches gender diversity at the entry-level; we need to achieve diversity from a young age. Without that, we won’t continue to have a dynamic and high performing business. It’s fantastic to see that 50% of participants in our graduate program over the last two years were female – we’re doing something right!”
Read on as Emma offers her advice to young women who may not have considered joining the mining sector.
1. Don’t write it off!
“Working in mining is incredibly rewarding. My career has provided me a great opportunity to explore Australia, contribute to our operations and harness my own entrepreneurial spirit. If you love adventure, mining could be for you.”
2. Research the potential career opportunities.
“There’s so much happening in the mining sector to attract young people – from innovation to data to process improvements. We’re looking for problem-solvers to come in and help us shape the future of this industry.”
When asked why she chooses Evolution Mining, Emma points to the endless opportunities and her colleagues.
“I work with some exceptionally smart people who always find time for a laugh. We’re an open collaborative workforce who rises to any challenge – and we’ succeed. We’re small enough that people aren’t numbers. The leadership team wants us to feel that working at Evolution Mining is the highlight of our careers – and this shows up in our development programs, impressive bonus schemes and the way we’re recognised for hard work. It feels good to be part of a company that really cares about their people and wants them to succeed.”
