Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface

SHARON BUSHBY: Opening doors you didn't know existed

Sharon Bushby is the Policy Manager: Industry Skills and Education with NSW Mining. There are a few miners across the industry who would have come across Sharon during her six years at Zeal Futures, five in recruitment at Centennial, and now through the various outreach and school programs she's part of with NSW Mining. Jess sat down with Sharon to find out about all the programs and events NSW Mining is doing to encourage students to take up a trade or head to university to get their start in the mining industry. You can find out more about the NSW Mining Careers here: https://nswminingcareers.com.au/ [https://nswminingcareers.com.au/] You can contact the team here: https://nswminingcareers.com.au/contact/ [https://nswminingcareers.com.au/contact/]

RAE O'BRIEN: Setting the standard, then breaking it

You wouldn’t meet anyone more approachable and humble than Rae O’Brien. Starting out as a mining engineer, she has spent 30 years quietly lifting the sustainability standards of mine sites across NSW and Queensland, while breaking quite a few records along the way. Rae got engaged to a fellow mining engineer in the final year of her university degree, and they began their life together in Middlemount. Fast forward, and the pair have twin daughters, one of whom is now studying to be a mining engineer herself. Rae set the standard at every mine site she worked at, and then broke it each time, leaving mine sites in a better position every time. She was also the first woman in NSW to hold both first and second-class Mine Manager’s Certificates. Now the Group Executive, Australia East for Thiess, Rae sat down with Jess to talk about her incredible career. Let us know what you think in the comments!

LEVI GRIMA: Shut your mouth and open your ears

Levi Grima grew up in Mackay on his family's sugarcane farm. He joined the army and was deployed overseas, thinking that was what he wanted. Turns out being deployed overseas made Levi miss Mackay and his home, so he came back and found himself a job in mining. Levi started as a coal technician and has climbed up the chain at SGS to become the Natural Resources Operations Manager. Levi is also part of the Australia Pacific Carbon Connect (APCC) leadership cohort for 2026 and is among some of the most passionate people we have met in the coal industry. Jess caught up with Levi on this episode of Digging Deeper with @ The Coalface to learn about what a coal technician does, how that part of the coal chain works and why Levi is so passionate about coal.

HANNAH LEGG: Be curious, ask questions and be confident

Hannah Legg is the CEO and Founder of HER Engineering. She has three trade qualifications and a certificate to her name, all because she was curious, determined to know how everything worked and determined to be the best she could be. The 32-year-old from the Hunter Valley has a few firsts to her name, including being the first tradeswoman in more than 90 years to be employed at Kings Engineering, Hannah started HER Engineering in 2021 and since then has continued to thrive. Jess caught up with Hannah for this episode of Digging Deeper - let us know what you think!

CHRIS UHLMANN: The power of fossil fuels

Chris Uhlmann is a veteran Australian journalist. He's been a political reporter for many years and these days is a freelance political contributor for Sky News and The Australian. Chris presented at the recent Asia Pacific Carbon Connect conference in Newcastle, talking about the wealth generated by fossil fuels and the simple fact we wouldn't be where we are today without coal, gas and oil and without it we won't move much further forward. Chris is a no-nonsense reporter, telling the facts about how crucial coal is for our country's prosperity, energy security and wealth. Jess and Chris discuss coal, the current global economy, the "clown show" that is politics in Australia and what Chris thinks the world is coming to. Don't forget to leave a rating and a review wherever you're listening and if you have an idea for a story or a guest get in touch: jess@thecoalface.net.au [jess@thecoalface.net.au]