Based out of our Mt Marion Lithium site in the Goldfields region, Justin has worked as a MinRes LV Fitter for the past five years.
To Justin, family is everything. Whether it’s his teammates on site or his wife and kids back home, he always has their back.
Justin has gained a great reputation at Mt Marion for looking out for his crew and being ready to listen and help - no matter the task. Going above and beyond to make sure all his teammates go home safe and happy, Justin always speaks up about mental health during pre-start meetings - making himself approachable to anyone who needs help.
Recently on nightshift, Justin discovered one of his teammates was having some personal issues. Justin stayed up into the next day to make sure they got access to the help and support they needed - just one of the great things that makes Justin one of our MinRes Marvels.
One of Justin's colleagues, Nathen, said Justin always has a positive attitude and a great approach to safety and concerns for all crews.
“Even if others are down, Justin always makes people smile with his attitude - which goes a long way when you are away from family,” he said.
We recently sat down with Justin to find out more about the man behind the MinRes Marvel.
Please describe your career journey including companies and places you’ve worked and any career highlights?
At the age of 14, after deciding school wasn't for me, I was lucky enough to secure a mechanical apprenticeship at my local Mitsubishi dealer in Rockingham. Once I qualified, I worked at a variety of other local dealers, gaining exposure to different makes and models.
Looking for a change of pace, I went on to work for Ausdrill, where I learnt about maintaining and fixing drill rigs. I then went on to my first ever FIFO position, working on the construction of an onshore pipeline, where I was responsible for maintaining a fleet of light vehicles and small earth-moving equipment.
From here I branched out into offshore construction, working for Saipem on sub-sea pipelines for several years. When my first child was born, I returned to work in Perth, taking up a job doing Roadside Assistance for RAC. During all of this time, the highlight was working offshore. It gave me the opportunity to travel to parts of the world that I might not otherwise have seen.
Tell me about your current role?
It was in 2017 that I began working for Mineral Resources at Mt Marion. As an LV Fitter my role is to service, maintain, and repair a fleet of light vehicles, generators, lighting towers and various other pieces of equipment.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The thing I enjoy most about my work at Mineral Resources is the amazing people I have met and become really good friends with. I have also enjoyed seeing how much the place has changed for the better over the past five years. When I first started working at Mt Marion our accommodation was offsite at Kambalda. We now get to enjoy the fantastic facilities offered at the Village, a short walk from work. Moving into the new workshop with recent procedural changes, make it a great place to work.
Why did you join Mineral Resources? What was it that attracted you?
I first started working at Mt Marion as a contractor for Mader Group. I enjoyed the work environment and the people I got to work with. When I was offered the opportunity to take on a full-time position, directly employed by Mineral Resources, I jumped at the opportunity.
What keeps you busy outside of work?
Outside of work, it's my wife and two kids who keep me busy. My seven-year-old son is very much into mixed martial arts and footy. This takes up four nights per week plus the weekend. My three-year-old daughter loves doing ballet. On the weekends we spend as much time as possible outdoors, going camping and four-wheel-driving.
