Who are you and what do you do?
My Name Is Josh McCoy and I am the Operations Coordinator for Werner Engineering. I manage a workforce of 34 employees and the workflow within the workshop. I travel to the mines to scope, assess and carry out works that we at Werner have manufactured or repaired.
When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?
I guess you could say I began it all when I started my apprenticeship manufacturing components as a fitter and turner for the mines after I completed Year 10. I officially started working on mine sites in 2015 as a field service fitter.
How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?
I can’t remember exactly what I said I wanted to be when I was a kid. I do know school wasn’t for me so I wanted to leave but I was told I had to complete Year 10 and have a job. So I went looking for hands-on work through school-based apprenticeships and enjoyed the fitting and turning. Just so happens me and my best mate were both offered apprenticeships after school at the same place.
I guess you could say it’s a lot different to what I would have thought as a kid as I would never have imagined being a manager.
What’s a usual day at work entail?
A typical day involves responding to customers, checking quotes, attending and hosting meetings, and making sure my team is following health and safety procedures. I check job cards and ensure the production line is running smoothly. I also visit sites to assess or help assemble jobs when required.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is coming to work with a great team daily and being able to go home to the family after it every night unless I head out to the mines for a visit. I spent many years travelling doing field service throughout the Bowen Basin, NSW and WA, supervising maintenance and operations on sites and never being home so it’s quite nice to be able to be with the family and see all the kids do the sports they love.
The worst thing?
Worst thing would have to be the end of month. As we are production, we have our targets we need to meet on a monthly basis and sometimes these targets can be out of our hands waiting for suppliers and 3rd parties. You need to think on the go and make up for these delays when you have a deadline around the corner.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge I had to overcome would be when I was asked to go out of my comfort zone with the mechanical fitting side of my skills and step in to supervise and coordinate operations on a mine site for a civil and mining company.
What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?
We are OEM for a lot of products within the mining sector.
What’s your best advice for people entering the industry?
Get your hands dirty, learn from experienced crew and take every opportunity to grow and expand your skill set. The industry can be tough but if you are a go getter and give everything a crack, opportunity will arise.
The mining industry gets more than its fair share of criticism. What is your view of our industry and the impact it has?
I look at the positive impact it has had on my family and our growth as well as the growth in the Mackay community. I am lucky to have experienced the mining life and wouldn’t change it.
