Illustrated children’s book looks to redefine the role of women in mining

An illustrated children’s book that aims to shed light on the critical roles that women play in the mining industry has been released. From geologists to engineers, operators to environmental scientists, Mummy Is A Miner looks to introduce young readers to the rewarding careers offered by the resources industry and promote inclusion. Author Andrew Dittmann said the concept for the book stemmed from a poem he wrote for a woman in a mining conference in Queensland. “There was commentary at the time from people who said, ‘It’d be good if he turned this into a children’s book’,” he said. “It took about seven months to get it from illustration, through the publishing process, and then out to market.” Mr Dittmann, WA general manager for technical consulting firm MEC Mining, said the company had struggled to meet gender diversity quotas in a traditionally male-dominated industry. “Diversity quotas from some of the major miners were getting enforced on us so we were having to demonstrate 25 per cent gender diversity,” he said. “We were struggling to find mining engineers and geologists for our business. “It’s not really our choice at the end of the day because we are bound by the universities. “Engineering graduates have dropped off significantly over the years. “I’ve done a lot of work in the last six years with the universities on . . . how to get the next generation of people focused on career paths in the mining industry.” Mr Dittmann said one way to attract new talent was to expose people to the industry from a young age. He said mining was a profession that was rarely portrayed in children’s literature, especially as a female career pathway. “The big miners are doing a really good job in developing retention strategies for existing staff and . . . (developing) programs to try and attract green workers into the workforce,” Mr Dittmann said. “But this book is just a different angle entirely. “It’s focusing on the education and trying to improve the perception of the industry . . . at a younger age. “Industry perception in general needs to change for us to attract more people.” Mummy Is A Miner won the diversity and inclusion category at the 2024 Australian Mining and Exploration Companies Awards this month. The book is available for purchase online at www.mummyisaminer.com