Who are you and what do you do?
Mal Boardman, Crew 1 Maintenance Fitter at Ravensworth Open Cut.
When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?
I was very motivated to leave school as soon as I could but wasn’t allowed to without having a job. Luckily for me that came in the form of an apprenticeship at the end of year 10. So, at 16, I began to learn my trade with a local O.E.M. rebuilding electric drive dump trucks and other components in a workshop just out of town.
How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?
I started working as an excuse to leave school and my passions were outside of the working week. Later, I was keen to have my own business and help others find employment, just as my father did in his survey business. Now I am mostly content to fill any role that my experience can benefit and help others who are just starting their career journey.
What’s a usual day at work entail?
I’m working on a project at the moment, reviewing and updating JSA risk assessments, so my day is mostly office bound instead of in the workshop.
What’s the best thing about your job?
The opportunity for variety if you want it. I have spent time in many roles over the years, from equipment inspections, planning, workshop data processing and step-up leadership as well as the usual mechanical roles.
The worst thing?
I’m not keen on getting dirty anymore! It never used to worry me, but I would rather find another way to do a task before digging in with grease up to my elbows from the outset.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
In 2013 the GFC turned the mining environment on its head and suddenly there was no room for a small company like mine. Negative change is always hard, especially when jobs are lost. It was a personally and financially challenging time.
What has been your proudest achievement?
I did achieve my goal of running a small business and I did have the opportunity to help many people enter the mining industry and gain valuable experience through my labour hire company. For just over ten years I enjoyed the best job I’ll ever have.
What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?
Most people outside of the industry don’t understand shiftwork rosters and 12-hour shifts.
What do you do in your downtime?
I joined the Great Escape charity car rally in 2010 as a navigator for a friend who had been involved for a few years already. It was an eye-opening experience for me in many ways, and 14 years later I have completed be my 13th trip. I am still blown away by the experiences of travelling throughout our great country, sharing the time with a family like community, and learning more about the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and how treatments improve over time.
Although blessed with two heathy boys of our own we have a God daughter with CF, as does her brother. We remain close to their family and have witnessed some of the challenges of raising children with CF.
This year was my first year managing the event, we kicked off in the first week of September, starting in Albury and finished in Coffs Harbour after visiting many iconic towns along the Darling River.
Next year we start from Newcastle and finish in Airlie Beach QLD. I have already begun the preparations and it’s shaping up to be another fantastic trip.
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 current positive coal industry advertising is a great thing and well overdue. I hope it helps the public be more comfortable with coal remaining in the energy mix as we transition to different energy sources.
