Thiess hosts industry experience day in Mackay for local students

On Monday 3 September 2024 we held our inaugural Industry Experience Day at the Mackay Training Hub with students from Clontarf Foundation, Project Booya Mackay, and Kutta Mulla Gorinna School in attendance

Students were offered the opportunity to experience a holistic view of the mining industry and participate in different mining streams. Our personnel were on hand to demonstrate various functions including production, maintenance, autonomy, mine management, surveying, and coal handling and preparation.

Senior Constable Keiran Horsefall from Project Booyah Mackay expressed his gratitude for the day saying, “I’d like to sincerely thank the team at Thiess for allowing us to attend the Thiess Mining Day Experience. It was incredible for our group of young men to interact with trained professionals within the industry from different mining backgrounds.”
Sessions were interactive and informative, helping students understand mining is not just about driving and servicing haul trucks, and there was much excitement at the prospect of potential future employment in the mining sector.

Clontarf Foundation student Angus Davidson thanked our staff for giving students an insight into the industry, “I enjoyed the day and learned a lot about the mining industry. It was great that the team from Thiess took the time to travel to Mackay to teach us about career pathways in Thiess.”

The biggest hits on the day were the sessions involving truck and automation simulation, and the cookie mining activity where students learned about how mines become profitable through ‘mining’ chocolate chips from chocolate chip cookies.

Events held with the Clontarf Foundation earlier in 2024 highlighted the boys’ keen interest in the mining industry, and a desire to learn more about the breadth of opportunities available.

General Manager for People and Commercial for Thiess’ Australia East Operations, Mick Patrick, said of the day, “It was an absolute pleasure to attend the inaugural Thiess Mining Industry Day hosted at our Mackay Hub. The engagement between our experienced Thiess personnel and Indigenous groups was very encouraging to see. I look forward to seeing this initiative grow in the years to come.”