Naomi is a Process Plant Technician (IAR Ops Planner) for Woodside Energy
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The things I really enjoy about my job are learning new things all the time, the people you meet along the way, the opportunities that come your way and the lifestyle that I am able to give my family.
Describe your career path to your current job?
Applied for a Pathways Traineeship through Apprenticeships Australia hosted by Woodside, this involved achieving a Logistics Certificate and being support for the Operations Team at Karratha Gas Plant (just over two years). From there I decided I wanted to be a Process Technician and successfully applied for a position at Pluto as a Trainee Operator. After completing my Process Plant Traineeship, I was offered fulltime employment with Woodside as a Process Plant Technician within the Domestic Gas and Condensate Streams. About a year and a half ago I returned from maternity leave and this role allows me the flexibility to work around my child’s needs.
What attracted you to a career in mining & resources?
I grew up in Karratha and my desire was to relocate back to Karratha from Perth. In a place like Karratha, the normal employment opportunities are in Mining or Oil & Gas. A job in either would provide me opportunities that you do not have in other industries.
How do you juggle working in mining and resources with family life, personal interests and other commitments outside work?
Life is a juggling act and I don’t think anyone has got it quite perfect. The thing I would say is to live in the moment. If you are with family, be with your family, don’t think about work, and never forget to take a moment for yourself every now and then.
What do you think of the general perception that mining and resources is a male-dominated sector?
Every day you see more and more diversity, as the culture changes. Not only for women but in Indigenous employment too. With this cultural shift companies like Woodside are changing the way they operate and manage people: anything from providing facilities for nursing mothers to allowing flexible working arrangements in many roles.
What’s the biggest thing you would like other women to know about working in mining and resources?
Everybody has to start somewhere, not everyone has previous experience or qualifications. With all the different programs that the resources industry has – from Apprenticeships to Traineeships, to even Graduate programs – you can find a career that you would be interested in.
