Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Rachel Anderson, Director of MAS Aviation. Alongside that, I’m also an Isaac Regional Councillor, so it’s fair to say I spend a lot of my life either at an airport or talking about roads!
When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?
I was raised in Moranbah, so the mining industry has always been part of my life. I first stepped into the aviation industry professionally in 2002 when my parents, Ngaire and Scott, established what is now MAS Aviation at Moranbah Airport. In those days there were only a handful of flights each week, so everyone pitched in. One minute you were loading bags, the next refuelling an aircraft, checking in passengers or dispatching a flight. It was the ultimate apprenticeship.
How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?
Completely different! I don’t think “airport ground handling director” was ever on my career list!
What’s a usual day at work entail?
Every day is different, and that’s exactly what I love about it. My day can involve everything from safety and compliance to airline meetings, training our frontline teams and helping the ramp team load aircraft. In between, you’ll usually find me having a chat with passengers, because at the end of the day, people are at the heart of everything we do.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Definitely the people. Aviation and mining both attract hardworking, practical people who genuinely look after each other.
The worst thing?
The unpredictability. Aviation has an uncanny ability to throw you a curveball just when you think the day is under control. Planes don’t break down between 9 and 5, and weather doesn’t check your calendar first. You definitely learn to expect the unexpected and pivot.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
Growing a small regional business in an industry where safety standards are uncompromising and expectations are incredibly high. Earning the trust of major airlines doesn’t happen overnight, you have to prove yourself every single day. I’d also add that finding the balance between running a business, serving as a Councillor and still making time for family is vital.
What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?
Most people think airport ground handling is just loading bags. In reality, it’s an incredibly complex operation where hundreds of things have to happen in exactly the right order for a flight to leave safely and on time.
What’s your best advice for people entering the industry?
Never think any job is beneath you. Turn up with a great attitude and a willingness to learn. Skills can be taught, but reliability, humility and a strong work ethic are much harder to find. Every person you work with has something to teach you, so listen, ask questions and never stop looking for ways to improve. Your reputation will take you further than your résumé.
The mining industry gets more than its fair share of criticism. What is your view of our industry and the impact it has?
I see firsthand the contribution mining makes to regional Australia, not just economically, but socially. It creates careers, supports families, funds schools, hospitals and infrastructure, and keeps many regional communities thriving. Like any industry, there’s always room to improve, but the people I meet every day genuinely care about safety, the environment and leaving things better than they found them. I’m incredibly proud to work alongside an industry that achieves so much and often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves.
