October is National Safe Work Month – a time to commit to building a safe and healthy workplace, with this year’s theme ‘think safe. work safe. be safe’.

Safety is the number one priority in any workplace, in particular the resources and energy sector, with employers committed to the physical and psychological safety of the people in the industry.

As AREEA’s Bright Future STEM program inspires primary school students to consider a career in resources and energy, we also inspire students to be safety-conscious – looking after each other and their teams.

We’re proud to highlight the stories from our industry which re-emphasise the importance of ensuring our workplaces are safe environments.

Thanks to apprentice electrician Reyde Hennessy from Bengalla Mining Company (New Hope Group) for sharing his story.

❔ Describe a typical day in your job and some of your safety focuses?
💬 A typical work-day for me begins at shift start, with a daily meeting between supervisors and workers about the day ahead including discussions about jobs and safety-related matters that will affect everyone. After this we sort out tooling, cars, paperwork and the equipment needed for the tasks we’ve been given. Prior to commencing work, we fill out a ‘Take 5’ to review hazards that may occur in the task and place control measures to eliminate/control the risk. Following the completion of any task we make sure that all job areas are left clean to maintain good housekeeping. A shift lasts around 12-12.5hrs where we will cycle through these steps including two 30 minute breaks. Lastly, we will sign off and head home.

❔ What made you decide to do an apprenticeship/vocational training?
💬 The reasoning behind my choice was that I believed that gaining a job as an apprentice electrician would benefit me in a significant number of ways, such as building a pathway for many different career opportunities, new experiences and furthering my knowledge.

❔ What advice would you give for anyone considering vocational training?
💬 If you’re considering doing any sort of vocational training, some advice would be to work hard, study hard and listen.

ℹ️ Learn more about AREEA’s Bright Future STEM program here.

Help us drive a brighter skills future for our industry

Resources and energy employers know the importance of raising awareness of our industry amongst young Australians and the critical need to build the future pipeline of home-grown skills.

This is why AREEA continues encouraging students across Australia to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects to nurture the talent required to fuel our industry’s future.

AREEA’s Bright Future STEM program is bringing to life STEM subjects through a series of stimulating activities and industry role models (particularly female), all linking STEM back to real jobs in the resources and energy industry.

Why should your organisation get involved?

• Boost your organisation’s profile and engagement with schools, teachers, parents, and students that will become our sector’s next-gen workforce.
• Promote your organisation’s interest in STEM careers and the diverse and rewarding employment opportunities within the resources and energy industry.