Diversity
We are committed to employing and developing a workforce that reflects the diverse society in which we operate. Our company is strong because we attract and retain a wide spectrum of talented people and provide a workplace where all people are encouraged, respected, supported and heard.
Our policies promote respect and fair treatment for all regardless of age, gender or race. Our workforce reflects the multicultural character of the society in which we live. Building our Indigenous workforce and attracting women to the construction, mining and services industries are a strong focus. For Indigenous Australians, we have created proactive programs, anchored in a supportive learning and training structure, to provide them with career opportunities.
We also strive to promote opportunities and benefits that are attractive to women including paid maternity leave, career planning and flexible conditions. It’s not just about employment numbers, it’s about creating careers and a work environment that encourages and values diversity – a work environment built on mutual respect where people are inspired to work and grow with us.
Women at Work
In a traditionally male-dominated workforce, women make up more than 13 per cent of our team. This is anticipated to grow as applications from female university students continue to increase. Women comprise 50 per cent of our mining engineering graduates and 17 per cent of civil engineering graduates.
We have embarked on a series of initiatives to promote and increase employment opportunities to women in non-traditional roles in the engineering and mining sectors at entry, graduate, workforce and professional levels including senior management positions. We also aim to improve awareness among professional women about career opportunities in our industry.
Our success in increasing the number of women on our team is testament to the quality of these programs. Through active participation in industry bodies such as NAWIC and Women in Engineering, various university scholarship programs and work placement programs, we continue to promote and provide employment opportunities to women.
Indigenous Opportunities
We understand the challenges facing Indigenous Australians today and take seriously our role in closing the gap between our Indigenous and non-indigenous communities. We contribute practically through employment pathways, partnerships with Indigenous enterprises and work with governments to help realise our country’s goals.
Our key initiatives include the unique 20-week Indigenous pre-employment program and award-winning Women in Hard Hats program. Providing an employment opportunity for Indigenous Australians is not only a social objective, it’s also a business imperative.
As part of our commitment, we support the Australian Employment Covenant and aim to have Indigenous people make up 5 per cent of our Australian workforce by 2015 and have at least 25 per cent of our apprentices come from an Indigenous background.
At Thiess it’s not just about employment numbers. It’s about creating careers and a work environment that encourages and values diversity. A work environment built on mutual respect where people are inspired to work and grow with us.
