What's your job about?
Sims Metal is an ever-changing company with a large variety of career paths. The company offers a large spec of choices from machinery operation to trading, safety and so much more. Every day presents the possibility to learn something different in the company and is perfectly suited to those who love a fulfilling challenge. My areas of responsibility include supervising of the yard, completing stocktakes and production reports, new employee onboarding, training and safety compliance, and anything else that pops up in the yard! Every day, I believe, is different; you simply don’t know what is going to happen which keeps it exciting. Anyone can understand; it takes time to understand the full cycle of operations – even though I am still learning – so it requires patience. I truly believe you won’t stop learning throughout your entire career.
What's your background?
I was born in the UK, but I moved to Townsville at a young age. From there, I went to school and started my Sims journey in Townsville before recently relocating to
Cairns. Finishing school was important to me. As soon as I finished school, I took some much-needed time off before beginning my career with Sims in 2020. My first day at Sims was an eye-opening experience. Since day one, it sparked a deep interest in this unique industry. I started my cadetship role in January 2020. From there, I worked around different sections of the business unit completing modules designed to develop my knowledge throughout the operational environment. Halfway through August 2022, I undertook the role of yard supervisor in Cairns.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
I truly believe that anyone can do my role – or any role for that matter – as long as they have the right amount of patience, the right temperament, and a willingness to learn. It can all seem daunting in the first few days as some aspects are quite tricky to navigate your way through, but with a sense of perseverance, you can achieve your career goals in a timely manner.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
In my short tenure, Sims has already provided multiple opportunities to network and grow professionally. From operations conferences in Adelaide to safety courses in Brisbane, there are always works in motion to assist with the professional development of all Sims employees. But it is not these trips that will confirm you’re on
the right career path. It is the small day-to-day details that simply make you smile when you complete a job that has challenged you for a while, or you find something that you take passion in learning. It is those small details that make every day more enjoyable than the last.
Was there anything in your role that was unexpected?
Some job demands can remain both physically and mentally straining. Some days can become long and tiring, yet looking back on a day’s work of that caliber can
become rewarding. You can switch roles in an instant from going to a physically demanding aspect, then quickly alternating to a mentally straining job.