Page 31 - EngineerIT April May Issue 2026

WOMEN IN STEM

Change in motion Julie’s experiences have helped mould
Julie notes clear progress in the broader mining industry, observing how she approaches mentorship
that more women are entering technical roles and advancing into now, emphasising accessibility and
leadership positions, and there is a stronger pipeline of qualified conversation over rigid structures.
professionals than in previous decades.
“Every time I deliver a guest lecture, I tell
“We do face cultural and gender-based biases, but that’s a societal the class they are free to call me at any
issue, not a mining issue,” adds Julie. “However, positive change time. I am always interested in helping
is more visible now in how people engage with one another on a people find their own solutions to the
personal level.” challenges at hand.”

She recalls a moment during an underground safety inspection that Advice grounded in experience
stood out: Julie’s message to young women
entering STEM fields draws directly from
“We were doing a health and safety inspection, and someone was her own experience of navigating the
engaging in an unsafe practice. I went up to him, and we had a friendly industry.
chat about how important his safety was to the organisation. Eventually,
he put his gloves on happily, and I remember thinking that I love being “Society may still send different
a woman in mining because I’m allowed to show that I care.” messages to men and women, and often
women and young girls feel ‘less than’.
She continues: Nonetheless, take up the space that you
occupy. You are valuable in that space.
“We have to put people first. I’m comfortable with that and see no need We need your brain, your heart and your
to defend this view.” completeness as a human being at work.

This approach shapes Julie’s leadership style, how she engages with “Don’t go it alone. Even if you’re strong,
teams and how decisions are carried through in practice. it’s okay to need and ask for help.”

Mentorship and developing others The next phase in industry
Julie speaks fondly about her former manager, Dr John Groom, as a key As a leader in the Mandela Mining
influence mid-way in her career. Precinct, Julie notes that women
are taking the lead in many ways,
“He was straight with me. He was honest with me. In those days, I was particularly as the younger generation
very brittle and insecure in my role; I had this hard shell, and John enters the mining field. At the MMP, the
would say, ‘You’re not going to influence people this way.’ He guided me internship programme, funded by the
a lot, put up with a lot from me, and he always had my back.” DSTI (Department of Science,Technology
and Innovation), supports the
development of the professional pipeline.

“Recently, seven of our nine interns
were women, all of whom had at
least a BSc honours, some with
Master’s degrees. Two of our four
programme managers are women,
one of whom has her doctorate.

“Change is ongoing and visible across
multiple levels of the industry. It is
shaped by both structural shifts and the
people working within it.”

Julie aims to be instrumental in creating
change over time, contributing through
her work, her leadership, the people she
supports, and her daily interactions.

31 | EngineerIT April/May 2026