Coal giant BMA hires 60pc female apprentices

It’s a traditionally male-dominated industry, but 60 per cent of apprentices employed by one company this year will be women.

Females will make up nearly 60 per cent of new apprentices at Australia’s largest coal producer this year, as BMA announces a major boost to its Queensland workforce.

The incoming group of 60 apprentices is the largest since BMA started a work readiness program in 2011 and will be the first time women have outnumbered men.

BMA is also recruiting 67 trainees to join the new apprentices in a range of skills including resource processing, surface extraction, business administration, supply chain operations and project management.

BMA asset president James Palmer said the company was excited to be able to provide more than 120 jobs as a gateway into a mining career during challenging times for the industry.

“It’s encouraging to see the class of ’21 is almost 60 per cent female, has Indigenous representation of 23 per cent and more than 85 per cent are from the regions,” he said.

“Building and fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce is critical for BMA.”

One of the apprentices starting on site for the first time today will be Summer Aprile, 23, from Mackay.

BMA apprentice Summer Aprile (centre) with workmates (from left) Zoe Hodkin, Joshua White, Rory Minty and Chloe Tougher. Picture: Daryl Wright

Ms Aprile was working on BMA sites as a contract cleaner when she decided she wanted to try for a trade.

“When I was working as a contractor the majority of people we were working with were males and I seemed to be the only female, there might be one or two other girls in a crowd of 40 blokes,” she said.

“So when I came out here and saw there were a lot of females and saw the diversity it was awesome, they’re giving girls the opportunity.

“It’s super exciting, because all us girls are going to be learning together. It helps with confidence seeing there are other girls, because it can be daunting working in a male dominated industry so it is nice seeing more females in the industry.”

Ms Aprile will work at Hay Point as an apprentice plumber.

Meanwhile recent high school graduate Rory Minty, who grew up on a farm at Mundubbera, said before this job he had never stepped foot on a mine.

“It’s been good, they look after you, they step you through everything, it’s been good to get the hands dirty and learn the correct techniques,” said the budding diesel fitter.