Name: Jamie Walters
Company: AngloAmerican
Job: Geology Specialist
Work location: Perth, Western Australia
How would you describe your job?
My job involves identifying rocks, especially metallurgical coal. Finding where it is, how much is there, and which quality it is so it can be sold to the customers who need it most for steel production around the world.
How does your job relate to STEM?
Geology is a branch of science which studies the Earth, what it’s made of and how it formed. In short, ROCKS!
What is fun/interesting about your job?
The ever-changing mining environment which means I can to work everywhere both outside with rocks at the mine site and in an office working on modelling. I really enjoy creating 3D computer models of what the rocks under out feet look like, sometimes as deep as 900 metres! There is always something new or challenging to resolve in mining.
Any not so fun/interesting parts of your job?
Working in the rain and mud. Luckily, that doesn’t happen very often.
Who do you work with (team and other types of people in different jobs you interact with)?
Surveyors, drillers, equipment operators, engineers, other geologists.
What does a typical day/week in your job involve (including roster and transport to and from work)?
I work weekdays in Brisbane CBD, occasionally flying out to Central QLD to look at how the exploration work is going and to provide advice to the teams. In the past I have worked on sites which allowed me to fly-in and fly-out to get to my job.
Typical day – communicate with exploration teams, make sure we have areas to explore, analyse data to support the geological models, check the 3D model accuracy.
How did you become interested/involved in the resource industry?
I always liked rocks, fossils and dinosaurs. I became interested in STEM when I saw Jurassic Park at the movies as a kid. I also like to find out how things work and solving puzzles. Geology encompasses all of this.
I first became interested in the resources industry during my final year of University when I learned mining was an interesting option to work as a geologist. I wasn’t aware there was a place for geologists in the resource industry until that point.
What training/education did you have to do to get your job?
Bachelor of Science (Geology). Lots of on the job training. Graduate jobs in the mining industry are a brilliant way to learn about the industry and to gain a lot of skills as a geologist.
Are there other things/jobs you would like to do in the resource industry? If so what skills/experience would you need?
Being a geologist is all I want to do! I have done some engineering work as part of my role, which I enjoyed, but it made me appreciate what I can add to the business as a geologist more. There are always more skills to pick up that will help my job going forward. Do something you enjoy. Be passionate about what you do and when an opportunity comes along, give it a try. You never know where it might lead you.
What would you like to tell the students about a job/career in the resources and energy industry? What does it mean to you? What would you encourage the students to think about for high school study that could help them if they are interested in a job/career in the resources and energy industry?
A career in STEM is rewarding, interesting where you are always learning. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
High School Study: Maths, English (need to write good reports!), Geography and/or Earth and Environmental Science. All of these subjects are good to have and Universities will see when you apply for a placement that you are passionate about the course you choose.
Computer skills are becoming more and more essential as we become more automated, relying on coding/scripts.
