IB Woman
Issue No. 20 - December/January 2005
Hart of achievment in Big Steel
Anya Hart
For students on the hunt for vacation work, the opportunity to spend the summer in a thriving ocean-front city with a great community lifestyle and jobs galore is hard to beat.
Just ask Anya Hart, a young metallurgical engineer who is making a career in the traditionally male-dominated world of big steel.
Hart started out in what was then BHP's engineering cadetship. Now, as 2IC of operations at OneSteel's Ore Processing plant in Whyalla, she will help mentor this summer's student work experience intake.
The 27-year-old puts her success down to hard work, a supportive team and self-belief, built on a foundation of strong female role models.
Anya’s mother is regional IT manager with TAFE, her mother-in-law is highly regarded as a human resources professional with OneSteel, and her sister is an agronomist for Landmark. She has also been mentored by Shivani Reiter, SA Telstra Young Businesswoman of the Year and former steelworks engineer.
Anya is now in charge of seven direct reports and 40 operators, and reports directly to the logistics and operations manager.
Her recently created role in operations has not been without its challenges.
"There have been a couple of confrontations, but they are just the normal thing in any business when the pressure's on," she says.
Being female is just another diversity at the Whyalla plant, which has many different religions and nationalities, male and female, young and old.
