Case Study Info

  • Case Study : WASM ALUMNI
  • Alumni Member : Sabina Shugg

1993 WASM graduate Sabina Shugg has been awarded a lifetime membership with WASMA in recognition for almost singlehandedly been a beacon and pathfinder for women in mining which is extremely important to the function and success of the Alumni. In addition to her contributions to WASMA she has been widely recognised by her peers and other institutions.
 

Q. Do you think universities are preparing today’s graduates for the needs of the mining and resource industry? What areas do you think WASM students should focus on to have a sustainable career and are there any skills current and future graduates might need which WASM currently doesn’t provide?

In our rapidly changing world we need to be very nimble and creative in our thinking to be able to rise to challenges and realise opportunities. There’s plenty of research that has shown that diversity in teams leads to more creative and innovative thinking and better return on equity for those teams. In a similar way I think we as individuals need to be diverse in our outlook so to me that means we need to get involved in lots of different activities and aspect of our communities so that we can be interesting and open to different ways of seeing and doing things and ready to realise those opportunities.

Keeping mentally healthy is an important skill – it can be very tough  out there at times – and I really like the “Act, Belong Commit” model.

Act – Be physically, socially and mentally active

Belong – Keep up friendships, join in clubs and community events

Commit – Support a good cause and help others

From my own experience I can tell you that following this model can contribute to good mental health as well as helping you develop your own profile and community.

It’s important to understand how important commitment is as short term involvements don’t give the same rewards.

Q. What is the best part of your job and what aspect do you enjoy the most?

Over the years I’ve enjoyed different aspects of each job. Early in my career there was plenty of adventure and excitement working remotely in great teams with big challenges to overcome. Today I enjoy working with a whole range of people in many different environments. Working with people is an important part of my work and something I enjoy. I like being able to support and encourage others to realise the many opportunities that can be had for both men and women in the mining industry. I always enjoy catching up with people and hearing about their new roles and their successes.

I never would have thought I would end up working for a company like KPMG but here I am and it’s a great place to work. KPMG is much more than the ‘bunch of accountants’ that it was in years gone by. Today as well as the mining professionals there’s a diverse range of skills from medical doctors, neuroscientists, environmental engineers and even Olympic swimmers in our team. It’s a dynamic and energetic team environment.

Q. You’ve worked for small, medium and large companies in the sector. What benefits or downsides did you find?

I really enjoyed being part of small teams where you got involved in everything – you learn to communicate well so that everyone is on the same page. Then when you work in larger organisations you have to learn new ways of communicating so that you don’t end up in a silo.

I think it’s good to be exposed to a variety of ways of working. There are benefits and downsides to each organisation but what is an benefit at one place for me may be a downside for you so it is very individual.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living and working in WA?

Why would you live anywhere else? But seriously, there’s a lot going on here in WA in our sector and so I think it is a great place to be and to live and work. We’ve had a long history of mining innovation coming out of Perth and WA and I think particularly now with increased government and support for initiatives such as KPMG’s Energise accelerator programme where we worked with both resource sector start ups and companies such as South 32 and Woodside and helped the two groups come together and talk each other’s language so that they could realise opportunities.

The Energise 2.0 programme had the startups participating in 12 weeks of workshops, mentoring and engagement with industry leaders, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts from around Australia and beyond. In parallel, the mining and METS companies participate in a series of innovation master classes and collaborative workshops, to help them become better at engaging with external sources of innovation.

One of the start ups was Safescape, which was founded by WASM graduates Steve Durkin and Amanda Giles. Many of us know Safescape through their underground ladderway systems but they have a new innovation – a product called Edge Protector that improves safety and in some cases allows for the design of narrower haul roads (http:// safescape.com/edge-protector-ep/).

Q. You have received many accolades for your achievements both professional and for supporting other women in mining. How have these acknowledgements helped you professionally and in your philanthropic work (if at all) and is the industry doing enough to highlight its best and brightest?

 If you can’t see it then you can’t be it. I’m not sure who said that. We need to be promoting role models and celebrating successes– getting people within the industry and outside the industry to see that there are opportunities for both men and women in the industry – and that women are now doing every sort of job in the mining industry. The mining industry has always relied on innovation and creative thinking and realistically we need inclusive and diverse workplaces and gender balance to get that dynamic.

We need to work together to support and advocate for women in mining. More women staying longer in the industry means there they are more likely to be more women in senior roles.

We hear a lot about productivity being a key issue and thus innovation and creative thinking and the right dynamic is essential. We all need to the two groups come together and talk each other’s language so that they could realise opportunities.

The Energise 2.0 programme had the startups participating in 12 weeks of workshops, mentoring and engagement with industry leaders, entrepreneurs and subject matter experts from around Australia and beyond. In parallel, the mining and METS companies participate in a series of innovation master classes and collaborative workshops, to help them become better at engaging with external sources of innovation.

One of the start ups was Safescape, which was founded by WASM graduates Steve Durkin and Amanda Giles. Many of us know Safescape through their underground ladderway systems but they have a new innovation – a product called Edge Protector that improves safety and in some cases allows for the design of narrower haul roads (http:// safescape.com/edge-protector-ep/).

Q. You have received many accolades for your achievements both professional and for supporting other women in mining. How have these acknowledgements helped you professionally and in your philanthropic work (if at all) and is the industry doing enough to highlight its best and brightest?

If you can’t see it then you can’t be it. I’m not sure who said that. We need to be promoting role models and celebrating successes– getting people within the industry and outside the industry to see that there are opportunities for both men and women in the industry – and that women are now doing every sort of job in the mining industry. The mining industry has always relied on innovation and creative thinking and realistically we need inclusive and diverse workplaces and gender balance to get that dynamic.

We need to work together to support and advocate for women in mining. More women staying longer in the industry means there they are more likely to be more women in senior roles.

We hear a lot about productivity being a key issue and thus innovation and creative thinking and the right dynamic is essential. We all need to work together to achieve this. We all have a part to play. I’m just playing my part. As anthropologist Margaret Mead said “ A small group of people can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has”

Q. Did you have a mentor/someone you admired professionally?

I’ve had a few mentors over the years but I wish I’d had more. It’s interesting really as I think the benefits of being a mentor are often poorly misunderstood. Sometimes you can learn a lot about yourself by being a mentor to someone else. It’s very much a two way street.

Q. Did the Kalgoorlie location benefit or detract from your WASM experience?

I studied at WASM as a mature age student. I was already living and working in Kalgoorlie. I really enjoyed my time in Kalgoorlie and loved being able to work and study there at the same time. I had a part time job at the mine that I’d been working at before I took up full time study. It was good to be able to put into practice some of the things I was learning while I was learning them. During this time I was also able to work in the Northern Territory and spent a summer break working in Arizona in the United States. I also enjoyed a field trip to South Africa with the School of Mines.