4 minute read
It’s been six months since Process Engineer Andrew Yang made the move from Townsville to Brisbane to join Mipac’s Process Optimisation Team and, whilst he misses the affordable housing and beach walks of the tropics, he hasn’t looked back. Why? Because at Mipac, he’s part of a team that is future-focused and innovative. He has the opportunity to make change. Oh, and he can take his mum out for lunch without having to get on a plane.
We sat down with Andrew to find out more about his first 6 months with Mipac.
Hi Andrew, thanks for chatting to us! What made you decide to move to Brisbane and join Mipac?
I’ve always known a lot about Mipac. I used to work at Copper Refineries Pty Ltd (CRL) – Glencore’s electrolytic copper refinery in Townsville – and was part of the welcoming committee during a Mipac business development visit in 2022. During the visit, Mipac presented SMART Tankhouse, which I found interesting. When I saw a job ad from Mipac for a tankhouse specialist shortly after, I jumped at it. There aren’t many tankhouses in Australia, nor software related to tankhouses. SMART Tankhouse is such a cool specialised application and Mipac is trying to modernise what is a relatively mature technology with this software. This really appealed to me.
Why was that something you wanted to be a part of?
You know, when you work in operations you can see all the things you should do or could do or would do… and then you see companies that are actually doing it. I felt like this could be an opportunity for me to be part of really making a change in the industry. I mean, how often do you actually get a chance to align your vision with the organisation that you work for?
Tell me a bit more about your background. How does someone become a tankhouse specialist?
I was born and raised in Brisbane and finished my degree [in Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering] during the 2013 mining downturn. Jobs were scarce, so I moved to Western Australia and worked in a silicon smelter for 5 years. This was a great job, but too far away from home. I still wanted to work in mining, so Townsville was a good compromise when an opportunity came up to work in the tankhouse there. Plus, I think tankhouses are cool!
Tankhouses are cool? Tell me more.
Well, we don’t produce anything in Australia anymore. We used to make a lot more steel, and now we send iron ore to China, they make steel and then we buy it back. The fact that we have the material [copper ore] in Mount Isa, we process and refine it to pure copper metal, and then we’re able to sell the finished product – it’s tangible. I like that.
That makes sense. So, what was it like to start your new job with Mipac?
I felt very welcome from the beginning. Jess [Mipac’s Corporate Services Manager] knew I was coming and had a desk, laptop and everything I needed ready for me the day I arrived. She even called me a week before I started to check in. I have friends who have turned up to new jobs and haven’t even been given a computer, let alone any tasks to do! That is not a nice way to start with a new organisation.
Can you tell me a bit more about the team you’re working with?
The Process Optimisation Team is quite unique in that we all have the same direct report but work on individual projects, with our own individual clients. We’re subject matter experts in our own fields so not all of our skills are transferrable. The way we collaborate as a team is by bouncing ideas off each other and helping each other with research or case studies of what’s worked in the past.
That is unusual. But you work closely with members of the broader Mipac team?
Yeah, absolutely! If you’re working on a control systems project, you get paired up with a control systems engineer. If you’re working on a software project, you work with the software team. Sometimes I work with a multidisciplined team on joint projects, sometimes I work independently on an optimisation project in my area of expertise. It varies.
That’s interesting. Was there anything else that made you feel really welcome at Mipac, especially in those early weeks?
Everyone was just really nice. There was a thorough induction process and as part of this, Mipac helped paint the bigger picture of where the organisation was going and where they felt I could contribute. I was also asked what I wanted to achieve with the organisation, which made me feel valued.
How would you describe the Mipac culture?
Forward-thinking. I think everyone here is always trying to do more and be better. Everyone’s got a roadmap and we’re always thinking about what more we can do or how we can do things differently. We’re not complacent. If we think something can be improved, our suggestions are always welcomed. There’s definitely not much resistance to change.
What kinds of people do you think would enjoy working here?
If you enjoy technology and innovation, want to see the world, want to have an office job but still be in touch with operations – then this is a great company for you.
Andrew, thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us about your experience!
No worries!
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