Australian Mining sat down with Che Wyatt to discuss his role in the gold Industry and the pathways he has taken to generate awareness.
In the lead up to the Gold Industry Group’s Let’s Talk Diversity events, which will discuss what is needed to win the hearts of Gen Z and millennials, Australian Mining is exploring the pathways of younger generations into the gold industry.
We spoke with Che Wyatt to gain deeper insight.
Wyatt is a 24-year-old Wongi-Yamatji-Noongar-Adnyamantha man who grew up in Esperance, Western Australia.
His current role is advisor of Aboriginal engagement with The Perth Mint.
What sort of training or education had you done prior to working in this position?
I worked as a mentor and events officer for an Indigenous scholarship organisation.
How long have you been in the gold industry?
I started at The Perth Mint refinery in 2021, where I worked in production and maintenance roles, including an apprenticeship in mechanical fitting.
I have been in my current role with the people and culture team since August 2022.
Working at The Perth Mint was my first experience of gold. I had barely ever handled it before, and then I was working amongst it, pumping out kilo bars every day. It’s exciting, but you do get used to being surrounded by gold.
Were there any programs, pathways or support that helped to get you into this career?
The opportunity to work at the mint was a case of the right opportunity at the right time.
I haven’t taken part in any formal programs, but I have definitely had a lot of support from within the organisation. The Perth Mint supported me through every role I have worked in, and I had the support of my managers when I moved on from each role.
What are the biggest barriers to securing a job as a young person in the gold industry?
For me it was the awareness of the industry and its diverse opportunities, as I never thought the gold industry was an industry that could match my aspirations.
I always saw myself working in Indigenous affairs to support things like Closing the Gap. But I can see how I can use my current role in the gold industry to raise awareness about the opportunities here for other Indigenous people and to help establish good pathways for our Indigenous staff.
Were there any misconceptions about the industry you found to be untrue once you started working?
I thought I might have to serve a long time in one role before getting the opportunity to progress, but I found out early on that your quality of work is more appreciated than time served.
There seems to be a general lack of awareness of the range of opportunities within the organisation, especially around the refinery and the entry-level roles available.
Was working in gold something that you always wanted to do?
No. I’m very passionate about Indigenous affairs and thought that, or maybe football, might be my path. I played with Subiaco in the WAFL (West Australian Football League), but injuries put an end to that ambition.
I didn’t see the gold industry as an industry where I could exercise that passion. I can, however, gladly say that I was wrong. Even in my production and maintenance days at The Perth Mint refinery, I was involved with the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group.
In my current role, what we’re doing and plan to do in terms of reconciliation, Indigenous community engagement and the engagement of our Indigenous staff is helping me fulfil my passions.
Do you feel as if there is attainable career progression in the industry?
Absolutely. My career so far in the industry is a great example of that.
In the space of less than two years, I’ve been offered three great opportunities, two of which have enabled me to learn skills that I’d never thought I would.
I’m now in a role that has me really excited about my career trajectory and my impact on the community. With the support of people around me I can see opportunities for further progression into the area of recruitment.
My passions are about education and employment opportunities for Indigenous people, and I can see opportunities to use my skills and passions to help recruitment of Indigenous people across the gold industry.
There’s a lot of potential to open pathways for them in mining companies. I see somewhere for me in that space in the future.
How valuable is the gold industry to Australia?
Growing up in the Esperance Goldfields I’ve always had an awareness of the gold industry’s presence, but never quite understood its true value until I worked at The Perth Mint.
The amount of care and work that our people put into our product has helped me understand its true value to the economy. Also, learning the history of the gold industry has given me a greater understanding of how it has contributed to Australia’s identity.
This feature appeared in the November issue of Australian Mining.