Graduate Chemist Program, Western Australia
This is the second article in a training series exploring our career pathway and talent development initiatives. See the first article on our Natural Resources Internship here.
We’re passionate about developing talent, investing in our people, and nurturing future leaders. That’s why in 2007 we launched the Graduate Chemist Program, a pathway for enthusiastic STEM graduates to hone their skills, discover their passions and develop into future industry leaders. Since 2007 we’ve had an almost annual intake of participants and are proud to be supporting 6 this year.
The program has been a huge success with many participants now working in leadership positions, driving our ambition to make a difference.
The structured two-year program supports graduates as they transition from study to work through a series of placements designed around the individual’s developmental needs, preferences, and the business’ requirements. Placements expose them to the different aspects of a commercial laboratory and the variety of work performed by the organisation.
The placements are designed to provide a holistic view of the business and experience working in a variety of environments. Graduates experience working in remote fly in fly out locations, are involved in innovative projects and drive business improvements across the board. This not only builds their expertise but enables them to discover their interests and is the foundation for a long-term, and meaningful career at SGS and beyond.
What Our Graduates Say
Elaine, How
Graduate Chemist
“As someone who was not too sure what they wanted to do after they graduated, I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work in the variety of roles SGS has to offer.
It has been extremely liberating to be able to move between departments to see what interests me whilst also allowing me to gain invaluable skills along the way.
This program has pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and with the prospect of even more diverse opportunities ahead, I am excited to see what else this program has in store for me in the future.”
Anna Roberts
Lab Excellence Coordinator
“On the program I experienced all aspects of a Geochem laboratory – sample prep, fire assay, XRF, base metals digestion & analysis, quality, instrumentation (e.g. ICP) and site work. Additionally, thanks to the program I had the opportunity to learn about lab financials, project management, and leadership skills.
At the end of the program, you genuinely have such a huge variety of skills, knowledge and experience that you become a great resource for making improvements, training others and can easily transition between departments.
I think that for anyone who isn’t entirely sure what they want to do for a career (I still don’t know) – the program is the perfect place to start. You can try everything in the lab and see what you like. If you want to learn, put the effort in, and take in every opportunity you get, this is the best way to start your career.”
Fred Prall
Senior Quality Coordinator
“I joined the program with the hope to gain technical skills but also insight and experience in management of both people and the business. This was certainly the case. The program moved me through the process of sample preparation and testing in commercial, and remote mine site settings. I was then encouraged to look at inefficiencies and implement improvements using root cause analysis. Furthermore, I was placed into the business improvement & development program, known as World Class Services (WCS).
After the program I accepted a Quality Coordinator role, supporting and auditing 8 remote labs. Now as a Senior Quality Coordinator this also includes our major commercial site based in Perth I continue to be involved in a variety of projects.”
What's next?
If you’re ready to join a global network on a mission to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world, visit our careers page, and find your next opportunity.
For more information on our career pathway and talent development initiatives check the other articles in this series: Natural Resources Internship.
About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.
