A career close to home
Olivia completed our Pathways apprentice and trainee program in Queensland’s Western Downs region. Discover how this led to a career with Shell in her home town and how the program is supporting regional job opportunities.
In Queensland’s Western Downs region, our Shell QGC Pathways program with MIGAS is helping locals like Olivia Mutch secure skills and experience for a career in the energy industry.
Strong support from the start
Olivia grew up in Chinchilla, one of the main towns in the region. In high school, she heard about the apprentice and trainee program. After she graduated, she was encouraged to give it a go. “I was a little nervous at the start, but I’ve built strong connections with the team, and they’ve supported me throughout my traineeship. My supervisor had a big impact on that, really supporting me and being available whenever I needed help.”
Watch to find out more
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Skills and experience for a career close to home | The power of local community
Duration: 2 minutes and 52 seconds
Description:
Olivia completed our Pathways Apprentice and Traineeship program in Queensland’s Western Downs region. Discover how this led to a career with Shell in her hometown and how it’s grown her confidence and experience.
Olivia Mutch Transcript
(MUSIC PLAYS)
DESCRIPTION:
A woman, Olivia, drives in a white ute through the rain. She has long dark-brown hair and wears an orange Hi-Vis jumper.
An aerial view of the white ute as it drives along a bitumen road that dissects some bushland. A set of high voltage powerlines cross the road above the ute.
TEXT: Chinchilla, Queensland
OLIVIA MUTCH:
Being local, I think, was huge for me. Being able to work in my hometown is, like, fabulous. I grew up here, most of my friends are still here.
DESCRIPTION:
A low beige-and-green sign near some brickwork and a manicured garden in front reads ‘Chinchilla’ in flowing green cursive text. Alongside the ‘C’ there is an attached sculpture of a watermelon and vines.
Inside a house, Olivia sits at a dining table with a mug.
TEXT: Olivia Mutch – Lead Gas Plant Operator – Shell QGC
OLIVIA MUTCH:
So being able to be with my family when I'm on shift and when big events like Easter or Christmas is on, um, I can go home at night and still celebrate those times.
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia drives through the rain. There are 2 kangaroos oustside of the car window as it drives, two other white utes follow her along a dusty road.
A montage of framed family photos.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
With Shell hiring locals, you're keeping people in the town, you're keeping people with their families the most important thing in their lives, essentially. You're bringing more life to the community, I guess.
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia plays with a white dog in her backyard.
Later, Olivia lays out an orange Hi-Vis jacket onto a bed. It has the yellow and red ‘Shell’ logo on the upper sleeve. She walks over to look in a dresser mirror.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
When I first connected with Shell, that would have been when I was in school. So they had a careers day at the high school. When you seen the advertisements everywhere, you see local people on these posters and you're like, well, if they can do it, why can't I?
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia sits at the dining table.
Olivia holds up the orange Hi-Vis jacket in the bedroom.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
I applied for the MIGAS Apprenticeship program. Having the support around me, like my supervisors and leads at the time they were definite that I would get a Shell position.
Later, Olivia sits on her front porch and puts on some boots. She wears the orange Shell Hi-Vis jacket and navy-blue trousers.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
It made it more realistic because I knew those people, they're doing the same thing as me, they went to the same school, they were taught the same things. You don't need to be exceptional, to be accepted into these programs, like you just need to be confident. You need to know what your goals are. It gives people more opportunities, I think, as well.
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia walks to a white ute that has the Shell logo and large blue letters that read ‘QGC’ on the door. She gets into the driver’s side.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
Coming into Shell well, I didn't see many females in the teams when I first started. I only had one other female in my team and she was my lead, and she was a huge influence on me.
DESCRIPTION:
Rain falls into a pond and on plants outside. Olivia does up her seatbelt, and drives slowly through a large roadside puddle and off down the road.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
But the team was so supportive. As long as I had a go about me and I was interested in what I was doing. I'm most proud of stepping into this role that I'm in at the moment.
DESCRIPTION:
A montage of Olivia driving through the countryside.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
You're the leader in the team. People need to come to you for advice. Now, I'm that person that everyone goes to and I need to be confident in what I'm telling people.
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia walks towards a large gas plant in the middle of the countryside.
OLIVIA MUTCH:
This role is forever changing, every day is not the same. And that's the journey for me.
DESCRIPTION:
Olivia stands and smiles. She carries a white hardhat tucked under her right arm.
On a countryside landscape filled with green trees the yellow and red Shell logo. White text below reads ‘The power of local community’.
(END OF RECORDING)
27 locals have secured their qualification
The Shell QGC Pathways program, delivered in partnership with MIGAS, is focused on developing a long-term career in the natural gas industry for locals in the Western Downs region.
Apprentices and trainees receive on-the-job training and support from highly skilled and experienced technicians from Shell’s QGC business, a structured training program through TAFE to gain an accredited qualification, as well as ongoing mentoring from MIGAS.
Since the start of the program, 27 people have completed the course across the disciplines of electrical and instrumentation, mechanical fitting, process plant operations, supply chain, information technology, and health, safety and environment, and business.
A career for the long term
After completing the program, Olivia progressed to a career with Shell’s QGC business. For Olivia, the prospect of living and working where she was raised fills her with so much pride and fulfilment. “I was born and raised in Chinchilla. My family are from here, and we all grew up in Chinchilla, so we’re very close to this place. It’s great to see my family at the end of the day after I finish work. That’s probably the best part of the day.”
Supporting training and jobs in Australia is part of Shell’s Powering Lives goal. Across Australia we employ almost 3,000 people directly, as well as engaging a large contractor workforce. Shell continues to invest in our talent pipeline and create future leaders through our graduate, apprenticeship and training programs.
