Worldly Women

06 March 2009

For the third year running, Rio Tinto was the Principal Partner for the event; a sponsorship that resulted from Rio Tinto’s desire to inform young women aware of diversity of careers available for women in the sector.

As well as attending a pre-event careers fair, where organisations like Rio Tinto had the opportunity to interact with students, attendees heard from three exceptionally inspirational speakers: Dr Kristen Nowak, Research Fellow, WAIMR and winner of the Premier's Prize for Early Career Achievement in Science 2007; Aimee Silla, wildlife conservationist and West Australian Young Person of the Year 2007; Kerry Allan-Zinner, disabilities activist and Prime Minister’s Centenary medal recipient for service to the community; and Lauren Henritz, Community Relations Officer, Rio Tinto.

Rio Tinto’s own Lauren Heinritz was especially inspiring.  Lauren shared with the students her personal experiences as woman of Noongar heritage, and how this cultural identity led her to her chosen career path at Rio Tinto in the Native Title and Agreements team.  In closing she reminded students “to reflect on what it is that stirs your emotions, what keeps you focused and what is it that fills you with a sense of intense fulfilment. It may be the want to travel, to complete a trade or to write a novel. Maybe it’s to advocate for those without a voice or to bring about world peace. I leave you with the thought that if you don’t at least try to follow your passions, everything in your life may be a compromise and no one here should settle for a life half lived when as worldly women, we have all the opportunities imaginable just waiting for us to take advantage of them”.

 Feedback from the event was incredibly positive. Attendees felt the event was informative, entertaining and inspiring and As one teacher stated " ..for our girls, the day reinforces that education is the key and that anything is possible".