Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface | Podcast on RSS.com

Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface

Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface

by Jessica Rouse

Business News News Commentary

Season 2

CRAIG SEMPLE: The cop who fell to earth and into a career he could never have imagined

Craig Semple was a career detective in the New South Wales Police Force for twenty-five years, investigating homicides, outlaw motorcycle gangs and hundreds of other serious crimes. Medically retired from law enforcement in 2013 due to psychological injuries, Craig is now a sought-after keynote speaker and mental health advocate. Craig is the founding director of Mentality Plus delivering mental health, wellbeing and resilience education to tens of thousands of people all over Australia and internationally. Craig has written two books, and thrives on sharing his story in the hope it has a tangible impact, even if it's just one person. A lot of Craig's keynote speaking and mental health programs take him out to mine sites across NSW and Queensland. Jess sat down with Craig to talk all about it, let us know what you think in the comments! More info on Craig's programs: https://mentalityplus.com.au/ You'll find Craig's books here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Craig-Semple-Cop-Who-Fell-to-Earth-9781760687939

SHARON BUSHBY: Opening doors you didn't know existed

Sharon Bushby is the Policy Manager: Industry Skills and Education with NSW Mining. There are a few miners across the industry who would have come across Sharon during her six years at Zeal Futures, five in recruitment at Centennial, and now through the various outreach and school programs she's part of with NSW Mining. Jess sat down with Sharon to find out about all the programs and events NSW Mining is doing to encourage students to take up a trade or head to university to get their start in the mining industry. You can find out more about the NSW Mining Careers here: https://nswminingcareers.com.au/ You can contact the team here: https://nswminingcareers.com.au/contact/

RAE O'BRIEN: Setting the standard, then breaking it

You wouldn’t meet anyone more approachable and humble than Rae O’Brien. Starting out as a mining engineer, she has spent 30 years quietly lifting the sustainability standards of mine sites across NSW and Queensland, while breaking quite a few records along the way. Rae got engaged to a fellow mining engineer in the final year of her university degree, and they began their life together in Middlemount. Fast forward, and the pair have twin daughters, one of whom is now studying to be a mining engineer herself. Rae set the standard at every mine site she worked at, and then broke it each time, leaving mine sites in a better position every time. She was also the first woman in NSW to hold both first and second-class Mine Manager’s Certificates. Now the Group Executive, Australia East for Thiess, Rae sat down with Jess to talk about her incredible career. Let us know what you think in the comments!

LEVI GRIMA: Shut your mouth and open your ears

Levi Grima grew up in Mackay on his family's sugarcane farm. He joined the army and was deployed overseas, thinking that was what he wanted. Turns out being deployed overseas made Levi miss Mackay and his home, so he came back and found himself a job in mining. Levi started as a coal technician and has climbed up the chain at SGS to become the Natural Resources Operations Manager. Levi is also part of the Australia Pacific Carbon Connect (APCC) leadership cohort for 2026 and is among some of the most passionate people we have met in the coal industry. Jess caught up with Levi on this episode of Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface to learn about what a coal technician does, how that part of the coal chain works and why Levi is so passionate about coal.

HANNAH LEGG: Be curious, ask questions and be confident

Hannah Legg is the CEO and Founder of HER Engineering. She has three trade qualifications and a certificate to her name, all because she was curious, determined to know how everything worked and determined to be the best she could be. The 32-year-old from the Hunter Valley has a few firsts to her name, including being the first tradeswoman in more than 90 years to be employed at Kings Engineering, Hannah started HER Engineering in 2021 and since then has continued to thrive. Jess caught up with Hannah for this episode of Digging Deeper - let us know what you think!

CHRIS UHLMANN: The power of fossil fuels

Chris Uhlmann is a veteran Australian journalist. He's been a political reporter for many years and these days is a freelance political contributor for Sky News and The Australian. Chris presented at the recent Asia Pacific Carbon Connect conference in Newcastle, talking about the wealth generated by fossil fuels and the simple fact we wouldn't be where we are today without coal, gas and oil and without it we won't move much further forward. Chris is a no-nonsense reporter, telling the facts about how crucial coal is for our country's prosperity, energy security and wealth. Jess and Chris discuss coal, the current global economy, the "clown show" that is politics in Australia and what Chris thinks the world is coming to. Don't forget to leave a rating and a review wherever you're listening and if you have an idea for a story or a guest get in touch: jess@thecoalface.net.au

RICHARD CAMPBELL: The best ideas start with a beer, and turn into a business.

It was an accident that Richard Campbell ended up in mining over in New Zealand. He was enrolled to become a mechanial engineer, went to an open day at university and came out signed up for geology instead. From that accident, some mining work in New Zealand, and then working in mines over the ditch in Australia, he was sitting in Bunbury WA with a couple of mates having a beer, and they came up with the name Blackrock, and the rest is history. Blackrock Mining Solutions has now grown to more than 100 employees and is a very successful business in the mining industry. Jess sat down with Richard to talk about his career, starting Blackrock and the coal mining industry. Don't forget to leave a rating and a review!

SCOTT KEENAN: Behind the scenes of NSW Mining's social media messaging

NSW Mining has some of the best social media content around, promoting the critical mineral and coal mining industry across NSW. Everything from 'day in the life' videos, to underground, open cut, the lesser known jobs, and tips from everyone you can think of about how to get into the industry or how it works. That positive messaging is making a real impact on social media and spreading the word that not only is mining here to stay, but it has a huge impact on everyone's day-to-day, even if you don't think it does. Scott Keenan is the Director of Public Affairs at the NSW Minerals Council, and on this episode, he takes us behind the scenes of what he and his team do and the difference it is making to public perception of the industry. Don't forget to leave us a rating and a review!

EMILY-JANE "EJ" SCHUTTE: The missing link.

We first met Emily-Jane "EJ" Schutte at the IMARC Conference in Sydney last year. EJ is the President of the Hunter Student Chapter of AusIMM at the University of Newcastle (UoN). She's passionate about getting young people excited about the mining industry and all the different career paths it offers to students. UoN doesn't offer a mining-specific Engineering degree, with students having to complete the mining portion at UNSW or the University of Wollongong. EJ firmly believes the AusIMM is filling that missing link in the Hunter, introducing students to mining and giving them an insight and expereince into the industry right on Newcastle's doorstep. Don't forget to leave us a rating and a review, and we'd love to hear your thoughts on Jess' chat with EJ.

NIGHT WORK NUTRITION: Shift work sucks, but it doesn't have to.

@ The Coalface first met Jai, Lachlan and Jim just after they started their business Night Work Nutrition. All three had been working in the mining industry, doing their fair share of shift work at mines in the Hunter Valley for years. If you've met these three, you know they get along like a house on fire and as soon as Jim mentioned they should start a business to help their fellow shift workers, it was all systems go! Night Work Nutrition is for shift workers, by shift workers. A meal replacement shake that actually tastes good and has everything in it that you need to get through your shift. They also have shakers and sleep masks and they tell us on this episode of Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface that there are even more exciting things to come... Enjoy the first episode of season 2 of Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface! Don't forget to leave us a rating and review.

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