Find out what it’s like to be an engineer in Whyalla

We caught up with one of our Process Improvement Engineers to find out about what it’s like to live and work in Whyalla and start on the grad program. Here’s what Binfeng had to say.

I started off my career at OneSteel as a summer vacationer in Whyalla. That was quite a move for me as I had to relocate and like many of you that meant I had to move away from friends and family which seemed a bit daunting at times, but OneSteel really made it as easy as possible. I was housed with other vacation students and cadets at the University of South Australia campus which really helped me settle in. I found that I quickly made new friends who were always willing to take me out to new places, include me in activities or organise trips. 

Living and working in Whyalla was great. It’s a diverse location with different business units, so I had plenty of chances to extend my learning beyond the role I applied for and learn as much about the business as possible. It allowed me to not only increase my knowledge base about the mining industry, but also gave me the opportunity to discover which business unit really suited me.  

You might think that Whyalla is just a country town outside of Adelaide, but it’s far from your typical country town. With its seaside location, it offers a wide variety of great outdoor activities such as fishing, mountain biking, kite surfing and local sports clubs. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect and if you’re down there, get involved in all the outdoor activities that Whyalla has to offer, especially given that the summers are guaranteed to be hot and sunny. Outside of Whyalla, the surrounding towns are bursting with different types of activities. For example, Port Lincoln holds the Tunarama Festival every year where you can try your luck in the tuna throwing competition! 

I’m now on the grad program as a Graduate Process Improvement Engineer in New South Wales. I’m in my first rotation and working across both Revesby and Villawood (NSW). During my two weeks of induction, I was lucky enough to be able to select the projects that interested me and were beneficial to the company. Only three months into my role and I have already successfully designed and installed a new machine component that should generate the company additional income within the year. 

I have been assigned a manager and two supervisors who are extremely helpful as mentors during my projects. One of the highlights of the graduate program so far is being able to work with the friendly operators in the workshop and capturing all their knowledge and experience, which is extremely helpful in completing projects successfully.

Some insights from one of our Marketing grads

We asked Yen, one of our Marketing grads, to tell us about his experience on the grad program and share some tips. Here’s what he had to say. 

My first role within the OneSteel Graduate Program was a Marketing Analyst position within the Piping Systems business in Adelaide. Moving from Melbourne was tough, as this was my first ‘real’ full-time job. Looking back, I am extremely thankful to everyone who made the transition as easy and seamless as possible. Everything was made as easy as possible – from moving and packing to finding a suitable accommodation, OneSteel did everything it could and never left me to fight it out myself. 

My year long journey in Adelaide taught me a few key lessons which I will definitely remember as I progress in my career. The first and possibly most important one is to learn as much as possible from your manager (particularly in a graduate rotation). Your manager might be male or female, young or young at heart, academically intellectual or just street-smart and very experienced. Whatever characteristics he or she may have, your manager is really the person who has been chosen specifically to nurture you and help you grow in your career. So why not take advantage of what has been put in front of you? 

Another key lesson learnt while away from my comfort zone is that your future is your own responsibility. A wise friend once said to me ‘A successful person is not usually more gifted than the rest of us, he/she just possesses more desire and willpower than everyone else’. You’ve got to ‘create’ your own opportunities, you can’t expect any company to do it all for you. You’ve got to take the initiative to achieve your goals. 

My last piece of advice is to perform your role and tasks with an open mind. It is always best not to pre-judge something or someone without full knowledge. Keep an open mind and always be positive. Take things with a pinch of salt and do the best that you can in all that you do!

Hear from one of our Electrical Engineering grads.

We caught up with one of the grads who will be starting with us as an Electrical Engineer in Whyalla. Here Daryoush tells us why he chose OneSteel, how he found the selection process and gives some tips for success. 

I took a lot of factors into consideration when I thought about which companies to apply to, but OneSteel stood out because it’s a company large enough to offer progression and learning. During the interview process, I got a good feeling about the technical training which would be offered during the grad program and that was really attractive. The fact I’d be living in the small, friendly community of Whyalla was also a plus. 

The selection process was really open and seemed very fair. I liked the fact that I felt I was judged on my performance at interview as well as my test performance. It felt that OneSteel wanted a well-rounded view of me before making a decision. The site visit allowed me to get a good sense of Whyalla, the workplace and potential managers. Having seen Whyalla first hand, it’s making the move a lot easier. 

My advice to grads considering applying for a grad program is to properly research the company before you submit your application. Take the time to ensure both your resume and cover letter are well-written. Don’t be shy about mentioning your achievements and include relevant university and social achievements on your resume as employers are looking for more than academic grades. The application process and interviews can be daunting, but be yourself and don’t be disappointed by setbacks. Learn from your mistakes and the right role is out there for you.

Introducing our Talent Pipelines Officer

We caught up with our Talent Pipelines Officer to find out how she came to be in the role and what’s on the cards for our grad program. Over to Lucy!

I loved my time at university. It’s as simple as that. Everything about the campus life and the experiences it gave me were unforgettable. So after graduating from the University of Birmingham back home in the UK, when the opportunity arose to become a member of staff, it seemed it was just meant to be that I stay. 

 I was involved in the organisation of various events and promotions to recruit students for a university program for almost four years. Knowing I was in some way encouraging students to get the most out of their university experience felt like I was helping them enjoy their time there as much as I had done. 

It was a natural progression to move that helping hand on to a student’s next daunting experience…joining the world of work. 

Since joining OneSteel, I was immediately struck by how unfailingly passionate it is about its graduates. So it’s with great excitement and eagerness that I’ll be helping with attraction and selection for next year’s intake. 

Our grad program is designed to develop you personally and professionally through real work in a supportive culture. Our assessment process isn’t just about us getting to know you, it’s as important to us that you get to know us. 

I’ll be out and about at grad fairs around NSW, Victoria and South Australia and I hope to see you there. In the meantime, connect with us on our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and WordPress) to keep-up-to-date with what’s going on and send through any questions. 

Good luck!

Hear from one of our National Marketing Managers and also a former grad

We asked Courtney, National Marketing Manager for OST Stainless and Fagersta, to tell us what the grad program was like for her and tips for getting the most out of it.

I started on the graduate program in January 2008 as the National Marketing Officer for Steel and Tube before moving to a business process improvement role based in Brisbane which is where I’ve been located ever since. I am from Brisbane originally, so moving to Sydney for the first rotation was an exciting opportunity. OneSteel made it incredibly easy to relocate, and the fact that I was willing to move meant I had a greater variety of options for my first rotation.

At the end of my graduate program, an opportunity came up for a National Marketing Manager across OneSteel’s Stainless division and I’ve been in this role since January 2010. 

During the grad program, I never felt disadvantaged because of my age, or the fact that I was a recent graduate, and I had a lot of visibility with people across the business. I had real roles that gave me a good grounding for the work I’m doing now. I’m not sure I would be as far in my career if it hadn’t been for the experience I gained on the graduate program. 

The fact the rotations lasted a year allowed me to get a good insight into the totality of each role. During the program, I was able to manage complete projects end-to-end and have a real impact on business processes and outcomes, as my roles had real responsibility and accountability. 

To anyone who’s thinking about how to succeed during the grad program, I’d say be open to rotating as it’s best to do that early in your career. Rotations are a great way to not only learn about other locations, but also other divisions. It can seem hard at the time, but the pay offs will come later. Also, be proactive. The program is structured to give you access to as many opportunities and introductions as possible, make the most of them. I took every opportunity to build good networks and that’s really helped me in my current role. 

The best advice I can give is keep an open mind. A large company is more far reaching and complex than you would be able to imagine. It means that roles or career paths exist that you would never be able to learn about at university as options. An open mind will allow you to make the most of these opportunities and experience gained in any area is never wasted within a large company.

Welcome to our blog

Here you’ll hear from our grads about their experiences of our grad program and what it’s like to transition off it.

Plus you’ll gain plenty of insight into what we’re like as a company and our culture and values.

Happy reading!