Operating the big stuff

Karen Devine is an Operator controlling machines that un-load trains and loads the ships with iron ore for export to China.

She worked for many years at WA gold mines but finally decided that iron ore is ‘where it’s at’ and pursued her dream of operating really huge machinery. Karen is still being trained up and supervised in her current position at Fortescue.

Karen lives in temporary accommodation in Port Hedland where there is a housing crisis and is eagerly anticipating a move to one of the new houses that Fortescue are building for their employees.

SkillsOne visited tradies who work in the mining industry in the Pilbarra, in Western Australia, run by Fortescue Metals Group.

Fortescue focusses on iron ore.

Fortescue's port, rail and mine project commenced construction in February 2006 with the turning of the first sod at the Company's port site at Anderson Point in Port Hedland. Just two years later, the open-access rail infrastructure is complete, the Fortescue Herb Elliott Port is operational and the mining operations at the Company's first minesite, known as Cloudbreak, are well underway.

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Operating the big stuff

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