Wetzlar – who manages Thiess operations with an annual turnover of $A600 million covering four Bowen Basin mines and more than 1000 employees – was today presented with the prestigious Resources Award for Women (RAW) awarded by the Queensland Resources Council.

The award was presented by Minister for Women Margaret Keech at the QRC’s International Women’s Day Breakfast in Brisbane today.

“Simone has made an outstanding contribution to encourage female participation in this traditionally male sector,” QRC chief executive Michael Roche said.

“Simone has been involved in many initiatives over her 10 years with Thiess to help promote opportunities for women and build diversity in the workplace. She is currently an active member of the Women In Thiess Group, which is developing a plan to attract and retain female employees.

“While in her role as alliance manager with Thiess’ Mount Keith Nickel Mine, she helped change the project’s culture to improve employee retention rates. Focusing on bullying and other unwelcome behaviour, she helped increase the proportion of women in that operation to more than 20 percent.

“It’s just the sort of initiative that we are encouraging all our members to follow to increase the participation of women in the sector.”

Under Thiess Wetzlar has also worked at the Southland longwall (now Austar).

Other outstanding women recognised with achievement awards were Associate Professor Suzanne Golding of CSIRO; Roche Mining project manager Melissa Styles; BMA practice leader (resourcing) Karin Baxter; Peabody Pacific general manager of strategic planning and projects Julie Beeby; and Debra Cheyne, human resources manager at BMA Blackwater Mine.

A junior award went to Year 12 Rockhampton schoolgirl Katherine Grigg who demonstrated a keen interest in joining the sector as an engineer.