According to records of the Minerals Resource Authority, a manager at Ok Tedi Mining Limited is the first female in Papua New Guinea to be awarded a Certificate of Competency as Mine Manager Works.
Hillary Turnamur is the first female in Papua New Guinea to be awarded a Certificate of Competency as Mine Manager Works in accordance with the requirements of the Mining (Safety) Act and Regulations.
Turnamur, Manager Kiunga Operations, is from Toma in the East New Britain Province. She received notice of the award from the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) after meeting the experience requirements and successfully completing an oral and written examination.
Managing Director and CEO Peter Graham congratulated Turnamur saying: “We are particularly proud of Hillary’s achievement. She is a role model for young women in Papua New Guinea demonstrating that women can successfully develop rewarding careers in mining, including into senior operating roles.”
In 2017 OTML established the Ok Tedi Women’s Network (OWN) for female employees to address safety and security concerns, identify development and career pathways and barriers to entry and progression, and to encourage mentoring and training for women.
“In 2019, fourteen of the twenty-seven trainees selected for our two-year graduate development program and our apprentice program are women,” Graham said.
“We are also reaching out to schools to encourage young girls to consider science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, reviewing relevant employment policies and sharpening our recruitment messaging.
“Women are currently underrepresented in Ok Tedi’s workforce and while it will take time, we plan to change that.”