Women are too often underrepresented in technical roles, especially those across the mining industry. We at BHP recognised that we needed to help close the gap between the mining-related experience required for our technical roles versus the availability of female talent who meet this profile. So, our executive team at BHP Pampa Norte in Chile, South America, developed the ‘Women Without Limits’ program. The program targets women from technical and professional careers who are motivated to develop a career in mining, regardless of whether they have mining-related experience.

Women Without Limits provides women with experiential learning in BHP’s technical areas, facilitating the tools, knowledge, and experiences, which mobilise a real link between BHP and female talent. Together, our Talent Acquisition Team and Communications Team worked with technical line leaders (Mine, Plants, Technical & Development, Integrated Operations, and Planning & Technical) in developing role profiles that tailor this learning to best meet our future needs. Importantly, each area of technical expertise also assigns mentors to our Women Without Limits members, so that this learning can be successfully applied on-the-job. Ultimately, Women Without Limits aims to help break down barriers that are inhibiting female talent from being inserted into the mining industry.

The success of Women Without Limits has been measured through the ‘quit rate,’ line manager satisfaction, and conversion rate from trainee to tenured role. For example, of the 45 Women Without Limits members who had never worked on-site at a mining operation before, the overwhelming majority (95.5%) chose to continue the program at its 10-month mark. In addition, the program has made it possible to fill technical roles more efficiently as they become vacant – and, importantly, bolster female representation in the process. We at BHP must continue closing the gap of female representation in mining, creating a safe space for them to enter, learn, and grow, so that our industry can be transformed from the inside-out.