“Dad was a power engineer - interested in making things work,” Helen says. She’s always been interested in maintenance, which explains why she’s travelled an unlikely path from working in the energy sector – from working in banks!“I started in banking for 20 years, then I was in the Queensland City Council financial advisor.” Helen says. “I particularly liked how the water and water assets works. I had a love of infrastructure.” She says.
In the banking industry, she’d seen a lot of resources being wasted. She’s always been passionate about managing assets, like working out how long assets run for, and making assets reflect their value. “It’s one of those things you can play around with.”
“I remember Dad in the Power Station, he’d talk about maintenance requests,” she says. Her father would explain the conditions of the equipment and the benefits of maintaining equipment.
With this passion for maintaining resources, Helen moved to the energy industry in January 2007. “But I’ve had a lot of years mucking around with assets with big infrastructure.“ And now, as the CEO of Tarong Energy, she’s in control of a quarter of Queensland’s energy production.
“I’m the CEO so I’m the head of the joint,” Helen says, explaining her day-to-day tasks. “So basically I’m very focussed on how our mine is operating, focusing on how the power stations are operating, the coal they generate, the electricity, the marketing and trading of electricity, and the policy, procedure and protocols are accounting for all that.”
“And I’m looking forward to making sure the skills base are in place to deliver energy to Queensland for the next 20 years.” One of the ways that Helen is ensuring that the energy industry is remaining skilled is by encouraging female workers into mining and trades.
“Good companies are actively trying to reduce barriers. Women and girls should look at a suite of options like mining engineering, not just engineering, and mechanical and electrical engineering – and working on the sensational equipment in mines.”
“Good companies are genuinely wanting workplace diversity, they’ll get better outcomes. It’s not window dressing - it’s real.”
“I think girls need to see practical trades are an option,” says Helen, “but actively sticking on their radar a career in mining, not just traditional areas for women and girls, but to get in touch with the industry group - Queensland Resources Council, for those in Queensland, to show them the choices available to them.”
Helen says that the mining and energy sector is great to get into because it’s practical work and you can see what you’re creating. In terms of work satisfaction, she says, it’s great to actually see the outcome of what you’re doing. In addition to good pay, good flexibility and she re-iterates it’s a career - not just a job.
Helen says the energy industry needs to remain innovative to be successful in both retaining older workers and drawing in younger generations. “At one end, you need flexible work practice, to look at job share, so people don’t just retire. ‘Let’s look at how we can use your skills’,” Helen says. “But it’s also about how we can attract young people to the industry from a diverse background. A diverse workplace is a better place to work, encourage debates about issues and leads to innovation.”
The personal qualities needed to work in the energy sector, Helen says, according to Tarong Energy, is that you need to be team based, you need to have commitment to personal safety of yourself, mates, and workmates, and being very ethical.
“If you don’t know, say you don’t know. My experience with working with engineers and big assets, people working on jobs are keen to share knowledge. Have an open mind, say when you don’t know and learn.”
The best part of working in the energy sector, Helen shares, is producing something real, especially for locals. “We’re a big employer in the local community, and hopefully make a difference in the local community, being part of it. The actual product is very real, an essential for life.”
However, the skills shortage is one of the massive challenges to the industry. “We produce about 10 million tonnes of coal per annum – and we’re constantly looking at how we can improve our coal stations. We have an aging workforce and looking at what strategies we can put into practice.”
But outside of the ageing workforce, Helen is looking at encouraging the next generation of women in the community to consider entering the mining and energy industry. “I think they should definitely get in their heads that companies want them,” she says resolutely. “There are boundless opportunities, work around the world and the experience will prove invaluable.”
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