John Fickling acknowledged at the prestigious Queensland Resources Council Indigenous Awards

In November last year, John Fickling was named runner up in the Exceptional Indigenous Person in Queensland category of the highly esteemed Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Indigenous Awards.

John’s primary role with Glencore is as Concentrator Advanced Technician at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM). As second in charge, he also often steps in as Acting Supervisor overseeing all areas of the Concentrator. In addition, John is the Indigenous Employment Program Supervisor for EHM and a mentor with Glencore’s Indigenous Mentoring Program.

While commencing at EHM in 1997 as an Apprentice Fitter/Boilermaker, John felt he had very little support and a lack of guidance, unlike the pathway programs in place today. Regrettably, he withdrew from his apprenticeship, taking on construction work to support his young family.

A few years later, he landed a job back in mining, running the anode wheel and converters at the Mount Isa Mines Copper Smelter. After four years of sacrificing time away from his family, and driving in and out of Cloncurry to work in Mount Isa, he transferred to the EHM Concentrator as an operator. This allowed him to come home to his family every day.

The move to the EHM Concentrator set John on a new path where he began building his career in the mining and resources industry. Starting at the bottom, John worked his way up to his current position. He is fortunate now to have years of experience and knowledge, and is keen to share this with others.

Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) Coordinator, Will Blackley, says Glencore’s IEP in its current form was introduced to EHM in 2015, and has had varying degrees of success.

“John became involved in the program in 2018 as its supervisor and brought to the role a new level of enthusiasm and dedication,” Will says.

“He was instrumental in the development and design of a program that includes a dedicated team of mentors providing the opportunity for participants to experience work in both surface and underground operational environments, making it one of Glencore’s most successful programs to date.”

“John has used both high and low points of his work and life experiences to develop into the leader he is today. He is someone that does the hard yards and leads by example by being a success story that other Indigenous workers can aspire to,” says Will.

John says he was honoured when approached to take on the IEP supervisor role.

“I could see real value in the program and wanted to make a difference in young Indigenous lives. I believe early engagement with IEP participants is vital in keeping them focused,” says John.

“I wanted to provide the support and guidance that wasn’t available to me when I started out in the industry. If I had the support of programs like these when I was doing my apprenticeship, I’d be a tradesman today. Even though my career took a different path, I’m extremely proud of my achievements.”

In 2017, John was one of 15 dedicated Indigenous employees invited to formalise and design the framework for Glencore’s Indigenous Mentoring Program. The program was developed to complement the IEP and better support Indigenous people within the business. He feels privileged to have been part of the process and is proud of the Indigenous mentorship they have created.

John represented Glencore at a QRC workshop and was a guest at the QRC Indigenous Awards in 2018 when Glencore’s Indigenous Mentoring Program was a finalist in the Best Company Indigenous Employment and Training Initiative category.

Being a ‘bush kid’ himself and living in a small country town for most of his life, he was overwhelmed by the experience but it’s something he will never forget. At the time, little did he know he would be acknowledged at these awards a few years later.

“I get a lot of satisfaction giving back to people and my work gives me the opportunity to educate Indigenous youth about the mining industry, support them to realise their potential and help them plan a way forward for the future,” says John.

“Through mentoring, we hope to inspire and empower Indigenous kids to follow a meaningful path in life.”

“I’m humbled by the recognition at the QRC Indigenous Awards. The mining industry has given my family financial stability, provided a structured career path and endless opportunities to build a rewarding career,” John says.

John’s journey shows that if you are willing to work hard you can overcome challenges to achieve far beyond what you ever imagined. The sacrifices he has made have all been worth it to give himself and his family the best possible life.