Alcoa supports women in mining

Students from Pinjarra Senior High School rubbed shoulders with some of the country’s most inspirational women at the sell-out Women in Mining WA 10^th Annual Summit in Perth last week (14 September).

(Back row L-R) Pinjarra Senior High School teacher Julie Gray, Pinjarra Refinery Central Services Manager Ray Smith and Pinjarra Refinery Community Relations Officer Stephanie Gardner joined Pinjarra High School students (front row L-R) Hayley Gough, Emly-Joy Dunster and Emily Heller and the 2018 Women in Mining WA Summit.

Attendance by the students was made possible through Alcoa of Australia’s support for the popular event.

Year 11 student Emily Heller said she enjoyed the opportunity to meet women from across the State.

“Sitting at a table with people from major mining companies and being able to talk to them about their jobs and their lives is an experience that cannot be replicated in a normal classroom,” Emily said.

Pinjarra Senior High School teacher Julie Gray thanked Alcoa for the experience.

“The networking opportunities and ability to experience how important issues and support are organised in an industry is eye-opening for students,” Ms Gray said. “The students were impressed and talked about all the speakers and activities they did the whole way home.”

About 30 representatives from Alcoa were also among the more than 1000 people who packed the Crown Towers venue to hear from the likes of ABC journalists Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales, award-winning British science journalist Angela Saini and highly successful business leader Diane Smith-Gander, one of few women to chair an ASX200 company.

Pinjarra Refinery Central Services Manager Ray Smith said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to other male business leaders.

“From a male’s perspective, and being the minority on the day, this was a fantastic event with great speakers talking about a diverse range of topics,” Mr Smith said. “I would encourage other leaders in mining to attend, not only for a great conference but to help foster and promote diversity within the workplace.”

Alcoa has a proud history in Western Australia and the Peel region, employing more than 3750 people. The company has been named an employer of choice for 16 consecutive years by the Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

For more information on Alcoa training and employment opportunities visit www.alcoa.com.