b'Education matters Education matterslife changing. Geologically, the role wasstudent intake. The supply impacts really interesting also and you knowof COVID-19 through border closures the food is pretty amazing! has taught us an important lesson in MP: It would be interesting to know whatdiversification, but perhaps too late, brought you to geoscience? as the impact of funding loss to the universities has seen the closing of many MS: Initially, I wanted to be a primarydepartments. I know that the resources school teacher. I had done a little bit ofsector is particularly concerned by the work experience in an early childcaredownsizing or closure over the past facility and I really enjoyed it. In the firstfew years of earth science departments year of my education degree I choseacross Australian universities, which an earth science subject. I loved it andactually started before COVID-19. This Marina Pervukhinaswapped degrees the following year to awill have a really important flow-on Associate Editor for EducationBachelor of Science majoring in geology.effect for years to come for the resources Marina.Pervukhina@csiro.au My university offered a cooperativeindustry and, therefore, the resource education component where you couldreliant renewable energy sector.go and work in your chosen field for aI think its important not to sacrifice one We have to start early if we are toyear. I chose to do that after second year,degree for another to fill the gaps and and I travelled from Brisbane where Iskills for renewable energy. Although persuade students to consider awas studying at Queensland Universityobviously eventually some degrees may career in the resources industry of Technology, to Kambalda in Westernbecome redundant. I think thats still a Australia. It was a bit of a culture shock, butvery long way off.In this issue of Preview we continueI felt like Id found my people. I completed our series of interviews with industrymy degree at the School of Mines inMP: What has changed in the recruitment and government agency leaders in theKalgoorlie and went on to do my honoursprocess in the last twenty years? In the field of earth sciences. Michele Spencerdegree in structural geology after that. last ten years?from the Geological Survey of Western Australia shares her insights into stateAt GSWA we are focused onMS: The internet has significantly government department expectations ofgeology and data and so to comechanged how jobs are advertised and a university education. how applicants search for a new job. to GSWA in a technical capacityTheres a much broader reach now, you need to have those degrees with job seekers and organisations advertising roles using social media such MP: It looks like you really like Westernas Facebook and LinkedIn or targeted job Australia. search platforms such as Work180, Seek and Indeed. These platforms, particularly MS: Yeah, I definitely do. I have been inLinkedIn, also enable organisations to Western Australia since the late 1990s.head-hunt for ideal candidates based on Except for those years that I spent incertain skill sets.Vietnam, of course. The use of technology in the interview/ MP: In the current rapidly changingapplication process has also increased, energy landscape, what does the Westand its now the new norm. For example, Michele Spencer Australain Governments Department ofits common for job-seekers to record MP: Michele, may I ask you to introduceMines Industry Regulations and Safetysnippets of themselves answering yourself to our readers? expect from tertiary education? How doquestions, and submitting these with companies see their fresh blood, theirjob applications, especially to the bigger MS: I currently work for the Geologicalnew recruits? companies. Personally, I dont like this Survey of Western Australia. I am Directorlack of human touch.of Mineral and Energy Resources andMS: We still expect that the universities have been there for almost three years.will produce forward thinking generalistsOverall, organisations have evolved Prior to that I worked in the resourcesand specialists. Universities are prettyto incorporate workplace culture and sector as a mine and explorationgood at transforming to stay relevantnon-remuneration benefits like flexible geologist at various levels across variousand evolve with emerging technologieswork hours and child care facilities in the commodities. I also spent severaland trends. An example would be dataoffice. Also, more and more now people years working in Vietnam for a nickelscience years ago it wasnt a degree,work at home, and companies offer exploration and mining company. but now value creation from data isthis as an option to attract candidates massive and on the rise. Data, as you cancompetitively in the market and to be MP: That was really interesting andimagine, is particularly important to thethe employer of choice. It is definitely an different environment, Vietnam, right? Geological Survey of Western Australia. employees market at the moment.MS: Yes. The expat lifestyle is great andWeve seen a lot in the news lately aboutRecruiting to include diversity and the cultural experience for my kids wasthe reliance of universities on foreigninclusion has also increased. For APRIL 2022 PREVIEW 26'