Participating in a vocational program is an invaluable experience for students and one that James Mecca (3rd year Commerce) is embracing at Australian mining company, Newcrest Mining Limited.
James commenced his three-month vacation program at Newcrest in December, and has just been asked to stay on at the company part-time while he completes the final year of his degree.
‘The focus in my second year studies was on investment banking but I realised that wasn’t the direction I wanted to head in – I turned to mining and came across Newcrest,’ said James.
‘Newcrest really appealed to me because it is Australian owned and operated, and then I came across their vacation program.
‘It isn’t at all what I expected, but I am enjoying learning so much. It has provided me with great life skills, such as experiencing working full time, working in my industry for a large firm, and learning how different sectors work and fit together.’
‘The Newcrest vacation and graduate programs are not only an integral part of our company, but also provide such rewarding experiences for student careers,’ Katrina Lacey, Senior Advisor – Graduate Programs at Newcrest, continued.
‘This is our opportunity to develop and train future leaders at Newcrest and we are constantly reviewing and developing our programs to ensure students experience the benefits of being part of our team.
‘It is a continual process of on-the-job training, learning and executing skills by participating in workshops, rotating to different sites and different departments and participating in hands-on activities.’
James affirmed, ‘There is endless learning involved but everyone at Newcrest is incredibly dedicated to teaching you as much as they can and answering any questions you have; there is an amazing culture there.
‘It has also confirmed the direction I want my career to take – based on the work I’ve done at the Newcrest, I’ve actually changed a few of my subjects for my final year of study because I want to learn more about what I’ve been putting into practice over the past few months.
‘I’ve been provided with a foot in the door and a background to the Australian economy and what it’s like in the real world, which are things you don’t learn at university.
‘I would highly recommend for others to apply for the vacation program as you will get so much out of it. I’ve had a fantastic 12 weeks at Newcrest – and I’d now like to start thinking about getting into their graduate program!’
Katrina said, ‘We take into consideration not only a student’s academic record, but also how the individual expresses themself through extracurricular activities, public activities, readiness to get involved and be part of a team, and willingness to try new things.’
