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My Mining Life: Andrew Wilson

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Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Andrew Wilson and I am the Mining Client Services Manager for Mainstream Industries.

When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?

I started out in the mining industry back in early 2014 as a Service Technician for Mainstream Industries.

My first job was a Thicknesser Machine Operator at a Timber Factory in my hometown of Dungog.

How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?

Very different. As a child growing up next to the train lines, I wanted to be a locomotive driver. I got to operate a freight train when I was young as I spent a lot of time at the local train station and was talking to the train drivers one day and they let me drive it. As a 10-year-old I was hooked.

What’s a usual day at work entail?

I get up in the early hours of the morning and attend sites to assist wash crews and to check paperwork to ensure site procedure compliance. I go to sites for meetings and inspect any new jobs, then head back to the office.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Working with a great group of people, helping out the guys in the field with any issues that arise and being an important member of an awesome team.

The worst thing?

The phone calls in the early AM.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?

As anyone going from the field to management, the transition from being one of the boys.

What has been your proudest achievement?

I would have to say my proudest achievement would be going from suffering from depression after my father drowned in the floods in Dungog back in 2015, living in my parent in-laws double garage with my wife and 4 sons and not owning much to now having 5 boys and our baby girl which we always wanted. And now living in a nice house with nice cars and a meaningful job.

What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?

I am basically on call 24/7.

What’s a funny story about work that you can tell?

One freezing winter night a few boys were wetting each other on purpose. One of the boys decided to drop one of the other boys’ clothes into the water tank on the truck; boots, jacket and all. It was a cold drive back to the yard for him in a sperm suit and barefoot.

What do you do in your down time?

I don’t get much downtime but when I do I enjoy playing golf and spending time with my family.

The mining industry gets more than its fair share of criticism. What is your view of our industry, and the impact it has?

I think the mining industry does a lot for the surrounding communities. It actually worries me what will become of the area after mining has ended and the loss of contribution to the area.

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