International Women’s Day 2024: How going to Rio changed Taylee Healy’s life

Gove mum Taylee Healy said a job in mining changed her life. Read how she streamed from counsellor, into a resources career.

Over the past 20 years, the number of women employed full-time in mining nationally rose from fewer than 9000 to about 45,000 – in the Territory about 20 per cent of the estimated 6000 strong workforce are women.

One of those women, Rio Tinto mining supervisor Taylee Healy, was working as a counsellor on remote communities and four months pregnant when she applied to enter Rio Tinto’s Women in Leadership program in 2022.

Four days after the birth of her daughter Ada in August 2022, Taylee received a phone call from Rio that her application had been successful.

The company flew her with her young family to Brisbane for a week of induction and training and she then returned to Gove to start work.

There was a quiet room to express milk for baby and meetings were scheduled around feeding times and childcare availability.

Taylee said as an Aboriginal woman, she was delighted to have overcome uncertainties about the mining and resources sector.

Taylee Healy on a big rig at Rio Tinto Gove

“As a Ngarrindjeri woman, I found that I had to firstly overcome some internal dialogue,” she said.

“I had doubts about the industry, and about our company. What shifted that was our company’s willingness to be accountable, transparent and to learn and grow.

“I want to be a part of that growth, to be a part of the thousands of people that are driving us to be better. After only 12 months I genuinely feel like I am.”

With that example to learn from, Taylee set about transferring her knowledge to the workplace.

“I am supervisor at the mine and it’s my role to facilitate a work environment that allows people to come to work and feel safe to do their job,” she said.

“My team is ground zero when it comes to the industry. We’re the ones that get the bauxite out of the ground and into the crusher. The team consists of heavy mining equipment operators, dozers, loaders and haul trucks.

“It’s my job to keep that running smoothly and ensure the team has what they need to do their jobs. My biggest challenge was that I didn’t know anything about production when I first started and I have overcome that because the team around me are amazing.

“It’s been a joint learning experience. From managers to superintendents I can ask anyone a question and people show me the answer.”

Cathryn Tilmouth executive director NT Minerals Council

With bauxite mining at Gove expected to cease by the end of the decade, Taylee said she’d like to stay in the town for the life of the mine and beyond.

“I love this town, but I want to stay with the business,” she said.

“My plan B is to move with Rio Tinto wherever it may be, but we may even stay here.

“The closure operations will be around for ages and there’s going to be an opportunity to work with the Yolŋu people to rehab this land. If there’s no space or opportunity to do that here, there’s going to be other opportunities with the business.”

Executive Director NT Minerals Council Cathryn Tilmouth said there are endless opportunities for women in mining.

“With the growing demand for rare earths and critical minerals to enable a low emissions future for Australia, there has never been a better time for women to take advantage of the job opportunities in the resources sector,” Ms Tilmouth said.

“Mining jobs are well paid, offer flexibility and cover a vast array of roles and career options with varying locations.

“Beyond individual benefits, women entering the mining industry enrich our businesses with diverse perspectives and insights, making our workforce more representative of the communities we serve.

“The inclusion of women in mining enhances problem-solving, innovation, and decision-making, contributing to a more dynamic and competitive industry. We encourage women to seize these exciting opportunities.”

Originally published as International Women’s Day 2024: How going to Rio changed Taylee Healy’s life