Exploring Career Pathways in Mining

March 21, 2025

We had the pleasure of welcoming Bianca, Executive Assistant to the General Manager at Fortescue’s Solomon Mine, to speak with our senior students this week. Bianca shared her inspiring career journey, which began by driving haul trucks and has progressed to a senior administrative role supporting leadership at one of Australia’s leading mining companies.

Students gained a real insight into the mining industry, including the realities of FIFO work, and discovered the broad range of opportunities available. She particularly encouraged our girls to consider careers in mining, where women are increasingly making their mark.

Real Role Models for Our Students

Bianca’s practical advice and down-to-earth style resonated strongly with the girls, especially our boarders. Many of them come from regional areas and could relate to Bianca’s story of finding her way in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

Bianca is a standout example of how resilience and hard work can open doors in unexpected places, leading to meaningful and rewarding careers.

Continuing Our Partnership with Fortescue

Bianca’s visit builds on the success of last year’s trip to Solomon Mine when 10 of our boarders visited the site for a mining careers day. That trip opened many eyes to the sheer variety of roles available on a mine site. Students explored everything from engineering and environmental science to hospitality, health and safety, and administration.

This year, we are excited to continue our partnership with Fortescue by offering two excursions in Terms 2 and 3.

What Our Students Are Saying

Students who took part in last year’s visit shared some great reflections. For many, the biggest takeaway was just how many different jobs exist on a mine site. It changed their perception of the industry and sparked curiosity about future pathways they may not have previously considered.

One student last year, shared, “I really enjoyed the experience and found it really eye-opening to see how many different careers there are on a mine site. I definitely didn’t expect that!”

Opening Doors to Future Pathways

We are committed to providing our students with real-world experiences that help them make informed choices about their futures. Visits like this showcase the diversity of career options and connect students with strong female role models who are leading the way in their fields.

We are proud to be offering these opportunities again in 2025 and look forward to seeing where they might lead for our Santa girls.

CareerPathways, Featured, FemaleRoleModels, FIFOwork, FortescuePartnership, MiningCareers, StudentOpportunities

Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.