BHP FutureFit Academy records 83 per cent female new mining graduates

This is the first group of students to graduate through the academy since it was started 12 months ago, with campuses in Mackay and WA.

A mining giant has welcomed the first graduates from its FutureFit Academy to mine sites – with a whopping 83 per cent of the cohort being female.

This is the first group of students to graduate through the BHP FutureFit Academy since it was started 12 months ago, with campuses in Mackay and WA.

The group represents the changing face of the mining industry – with 83 per cent female and 21 per cent Indigenous graduates.

The students graduated with a Certificate II in Mechanical Engineering (non trade) and have been offered permanent roles as maintenance associates.

They have been taught specific skills and knowledge to complete maintenance tasks on the fixed plant and heavy mobile equipment BHP uses.

BHP Future Fit Academy graduates (back, from left) Shakai Nichols and Simone Suradi and (front, from left) Ash Kupke and Madeleine Kwong. Picture: Daryl Wright.

FutureFit Academy graduate Shakai Nichols was a barista for more than six years before she signed up for the training, and her family has a mining background.

“The mining industry is not really too new to me, but getting into mining for myself has just been the change that I needed to kick start my life and to find something that I’m really passionate about,” Ms Nichols said.

“It feels amazing to have such a big female spectrum in the company. It really does instil that belief.

“A lot of women don’t think that they have what it takes to do something like this.”

BHP Minerals Australia president Edgar Basto said the academy was creating jobs at a time when Australia needed them.

“These graduates are part of our pledge to invest and train new Australian apprentices help get Australia back on its feet from the Covid pandemic,” he said.

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Originally published as BHP FutureFit Academy records 83 per cent female new mining graduates