When Caitlyn Lindsey-Willmott was in high school, she thought she had her future mapped out. Like many students, she had a career in mind and was already thinking about what came next after graduation. One work experience placement changed everything.
Originally from Campbelltown in New South Wales, Caitlyn moved to Moranbah when she was 15 and completed her schooling at Moranbah State High School.
“I wanted to go into the medical field when I was in Grade 11 and 12,” said Caitlyn.
“I did some work experience in Grade 12 at a surgical hospital and quickly found that I didn’t have the stomach for it.”
Rather than seeing it as a setback, Caitlyn saw it as valuable information. It helped her discover what wasn’t the right fit before she committed years of study and training to it.
After finishing school and moving to Mackay with her family, Caitlyn took six months to consider her options before completing the STEPS program through university to keep her future pathways open. Not long after, an opportunity arose to complete a Certificate III in Business traineeship at BMA’s Hay Point Coal Terminal.
“My partner was completing an Electrical Apprenticeship at Peak Downs Coal Mine and he was who inspired me to go for the job at Hay Point Coal Terminal.
“I got really interested in the industry from there. I thought it was so cool and different to work somewhere that provides a key resource to many countries across the globe and learning the different aspects of an operation that allows that to happen.”
The traineeship led to a Certificate IV in Business, then an opportunity arose for a training administrator position and Caitlyn made the decision to return to Moranbah.
Over the following years she continued to build her experience, moving into a contracts specialist position before completing a secondment as contracts lead. Later, another opportunity emerged in business improvement and systems capability. She accepted a secondment as a Business Process Data Coach (BPDC) before eventually securing the role permanently.
Caitlyn believes many people underestimate how careers are built. Rather than focusing on the job title five or ten years down the track, she believes people should focus on becoming excellent at the role directly in front of them.
“There are so many areas to get started and then once you’ve started and you focus on getting really good at your role, the opportunities will open up to explore many areas of the business.”
As a BPDC, Caitlyn works across systems, processes and business improvement within the maintenance department. Her role involves understanding enterprise systems, helping maintain data integrity, improving business processes and building capability across teams.
A typical day might involve coaching team members on business systems, analysing reports, monitoring processes or helping solve operational challenges.
“What I enjoy most about my work is helping build people capability within the systems, analysing and finding patterns or areas for improvement within maintenance and rolling out new systems or major updates.”
While the role is highly technical, much of what Caitlyn enjoys comes back to helping people learn and grow.
“My biggest learning within my role is that everybody learns differently and good facilitation is based on how you can adapt and be flexible to the learning needs of your audience.
“It is equally important to be technically good at your job and be able to collaborate and get buy in from your colleagues.”
That passion for helping people develop extends beyond the workplace. Caitlyn also volunteers as a coach with Saints Netball Club and Mackay Monarchs representative teams, where she enjoys helping young athletes build confidence, develop their skills and reach their potential.
She believes one of the most valuable skills anyone can develop starts long before they enter the workforce. Whether someone becomes an engineer, a tradesperson, a business trainee, an operator or starts their own business, Caitlyn believes the ability to work through challenges and find solutions is invaluable.
“In school, I never actively thought about the importance of problem-solving skills, it was always just an aspect of my assessments.
“Having good problem-solving skills is one of the most important skills you can develop and bring with you into the workplace.”
Caitlyn is also passionate about helping young people understand the wide range of opportunities available within the resources sector and just how many entry-level pathways exist.
“Whilst fantastic pathways to follow, a trade or operator pathway is not the only career pathway in the resource industry, many different areas that require people with many different skills and experiences.
“There are also many entry level opportunities into the resource industry such as apprenticeships, operator traineeships, graduate programs, business traineeships, starting as a labourer or trades assistant, drilling traineeships, underground assistants, servicepeople, process plant traineeships, hospitality roles, warehouse traineeships, HR traineeships, field assistants, etc.
“Do as much work experience as possible early. And once you know what you want to do, get a head start in your future by doing a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship or ongoing volunteering regardless if you are doing a university or VET pathway.
“It is really important to take this time to invest and reinvest in yourself to set yourself up for your future.”
Asked what advice she would give her 16-year-old self, Caitlyn didn’t talk about promotions, job titles or five-year plans. Instead, she returned to the lesson that has guided her entire career.
“Don’t spend too much time on where you want to be or where you think you should be, just focus on being the best you can be at what you’re currently doing and where you want to be will come.”
