Gems from a female UP mining engineering graduate

Posted on April 15, 2020

PG: Where are you originally from and why did you become a mining engineer?

TM: I grew up in the friendly city of Durban, and soon after I matriculated I ventured to Pretoria to study mining engineering. I am often asked “Where did this notion of mining come from?” Well, it started at Tuks, I arrived at Science week and had a series of industry leaders introduce us to the different engineering disciplines. Through a series of talks, the only discipline which stood out was mining – it sparked energy and I could see my future in this industry! My family is still enthralled by my choice of career. They are always interested in knowing where I travel to, the cultures I encounter and all the experiences that enrich my career.

PG: What qualifications do you hold from UP?

TM: BEng Mining Engineering and BEng (Hons) Mining Engineering.

PG: How did you find studying at UP?

TM: Brilliant! A very happy, exciting and adventurous leg of my journey. I became independent, made great friends, took up new hobbies and enjoyed the culture and mentorship offered to me.

PG: How did your family respond to your career choice?

TM: Surprise and a bit of trepidation. I guess that would be a natural reaction – coming from the city, with no family history in the mining industry. Nonetheless, my family have and continue to be my greatest supporters on all legs of my journey. I recall telling my late grandmother about mining, she listened with complete attention and then said to me, ‘Sounds just like Isidingo, you must be safe and do good work.’ My husband works in the engineering field and always tried to keep my sister and I involved in fixing stuff around the house or completing our science projects with his guidance. This certainly stimulated an interest in science and engineering.

PG: Where have you worked before?

TM: I worked at Sasol Mining, from a candidate engineer, working up the ranks to mine engineer. I also worked at the University of Pretoria Mining Engineering Department as a junior lecturer.

PG: Is the mining engineering field tough? If so, why?

TM: It can be difficult. The field intersects technical work and leading colleagues. It takes immense energy to keep teams challenged, engaged and aligned to deliver on our collective goals. Nonetheless, I have no regrets with my choice. I enjoy the technical and business challenges I encounter and learn something new every week.

PG : How do men react to you as a mining engineer?

TM: The most common reaction is astonishment along with the line, ‘you don’t look like a miner’. There are situations where I am fully supported by my male colleagues, through coaching, emotional support and collaborative working relations. Then there are instances where I am criticised for my choice of career or undermined in my ability to perform or be a leader. I recall an incident where a manager refused to work with me, he said – ‘You are too young, no experience, what could you possibly teach me?’. That was the most strenuous encounter I’ve had. It impacted me on a personal and professional level, led me to question my choice of career, my ability as a mining engineer and what my future could be. With time, and I guess in retrospect, this event helped increase my confidence, define my personal career plans and reflect on the type of leader/engineer I choose to be. My big take away was that I should be patient with my own development/growth and I should not be afraid of critique (constructive or not). Through all the experiences, I worked harder to support my personal goals and be the best leader I can to my teams. It requires strong will and encouragement. When I look back at the incident, it reminds me that the occurrence shaped who I am today.

PG: Please tell me about your job – what does a typical day entail?

TM: I help clients improve their business and run sustainable operations. My daily routine involves working closely with my team, negotiating on deliverables and driving impact. Impact covers a multitude of elements; identifying and defining business improvements, coaching individuals, facilitating workshops or helping clients address strategic goals. I am energised by working in team environments and collectively developing and refining solutions and eliminating risks. There is a lot of time spent on a computer and over the phone, therefore I allocate time at the end and beginning of the day to plan and set out a schedule, as well and reflect on what was achieved and where to improve. I particularly like it when I am out in the field/site – where I get to see our work in action, and I get to engage with the technicians and operators, sharing a joke and learning a little more about what’s going on at the coalface. Outside of the work routine I have time set aside for meditation, exercise and chats with my family. I admit I sometime let this fall on the wayside and have to refocus a bit.

PG: If you travel often, how do you balance this with your family life?

TM: I travel regularly. For the past six months I have been working in North America, with a dispersed team across the USA and Canada. On average I try to spend 2-3 days with a team, which makes the back and forth travel more frequent. Most of our teams are based in small mining towns, which are beautiful, considering the industrial location. I maintain balance because of the support, communication and help from my family. My experience leads me to believe that balance is achieved through a supportive partner, defining my personal and professional boundaries, prioritising on the many requests put forward to me and being assertive about self-care.

PG: What advice do you have for young girls who are interested in the science and engineering fields?

TM: Be bold, be ambitious and don’t fear the unknown. Ask questions, create your own path and maintain your mentor and coaching relationships. I always tell female colleagues: ‘create your own norm, do not force yourself into a stereotype. Being a woman in science and engineering ca be tough. Make sure you give yourself time and attention’. I also say, ‘don’t be alarmed, this is a fun field, there are opportunities to make changes for corporates and communities. Technology and change bring about so many opportunities, make sure you look out for them and be ambitious’.

 
- Author Prim Gower

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