Gold Coast-based engineer and FIFO worker Lydia Gentle has taken out the top honours at the prestigious BHP 2022 Women in Resources National Awards, presented by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) in Canberra.
The finalists in the BHP 2022 Women in Resources National Awards celebrate the diversity and contributions that women bring to the Australian resources sector.
General managers, maintenance managers, superintendents, underground bogger operators, pit operators, HR managers, geologists and engineers are some of the professions represented among the finalists and winners.
Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said Lydia is an outstanding example of the world-class workforce behind the state’s $84.3 billion resources sector.
“I hope Lydia’s achievements and her long-standing commitment to promoting excellence in our industry will inspire more women to pursue a highly paid and highly skilled career in our industry,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“The door is wide open for more women to follow a trade or professional pathway into Queensland’s minerals and energy sector, which now has 7000 female employees.”
MCA Chief Executive Officer Tania Constable said awards were an opportunity to celebrate the diversity and contributions that women bring to the Australian resources sector.
“Twenty years ago, only 9,000 women were employed by Australian mining. Today, 57,000 women comprise 21 per cent of the mining workforce represented at all levels – from company boards to the on-site workforces at mine sites across the country,” Ms Constable said.
| The winners of the BHP 2022 Women in Resources National Awards are: Dyno Nobel Exceptional Woman in Australian Resources Award Lydia Gentle OAM, Maintenance Manager, BHP. With a mining career spanning 17 years, in 2019 Lydia received an Order of Australia for her services to engineering. She is also the youngest Australian to achieve engineering executive status with Engineers Australia and is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Newcrest Exceptional Young Woman in Australian Resources Award Elle Farris, Corporate Counsel, Newmont Australia for her inspiring career journey and rapid progression within the resources sector, and her public calls to action to eliminate unacceptable behaviours. Thiess Outstanding Australian Tradeswoman, Operator or Technician Award Casey Martin, Underground Bogger Operator & tele-remote operation, Alkane Resources for her outstanding professional capability and support for women’s career advancement. Maptek Women in Resources Technological Innovation Award Emily Jaques, Senior Plant Metallurgist, Newcrest Mining for her innovative work on improving coarse gold recovery at Cadia through the use of HydroFloat technology. Rio Tinto Gender Diversity Champion in Australian Resources Award Michelle Wetherell, Superintendent, Human Resources, Training and Organisational Development, CMOC-Northparkes Mines for her stewardship of a large number and variety of programs that have contributed to the growing inclusion and diversity at Northparkes. |
