We believe in equality for all and recognize the importance of embedding diversity and inclusion into everything we do. From our leaders and employees to our community and our suppliers, we consciously act to enable equal opportunity.

Our actions to enable equal opportunity include:

• Using a recruitment process designed to eliminate unconscious bias and welcome candidates traditionally underrepresented in mining, including shortlisting females for all senior roles.
• Offering an industry-leading parental leave policy with 26 weeks paid leave plus super for primary caregivers, two weeks plus super for secondary caregivers, and super contributions for the unpaid portion of an employee’s parental leave.
• Providing women’s leadership development and mentoring programs for senior and emerging talent.
• Being a platinum sponsor of Women in Mining NSW and participating in its Mentoring Program
• Offering a domestic and family violence policy with 10 days of paid leave.

Whitehaven Coal is proud to be the leading Australian producer of premium-quality coal.

We are the dominant player in Australia's only emerging high-quality coal basin. We help power developed and emerging economies in Asia where there is strong and growing demand for our product, particularly for use in high-efficiency, low-emissions coal-fired power stations.

Our purpose as a company is to support and sustain regional communities by exporting high-quality thermal and metallurgical coal from Australia to the world. North West NSW is the focus of our capital investment and workforce presence.

We operate four mines (three open-cut and one large underground mine) in the Gunnedah Coal Basin of NSW. Our operating assets are complemented by two high-quality, near-term development assets, being Vickery, near Gunnedah, and Winchester South, in Queensland's Bowen Basin. Over our almost 20-year history, including 12 years as a publicly-listed entity on the Australian Securities Exchange, we have developed a growing reputation for excellence in project delivery, safe operation, and targeted investment in the local economy and community.

We are proudly local, and around 75% of our 2,500-strong workforce lives in the local communities around our mine sites. We believe in helping communities grow, ensuring benefits flowing from our operations are seen and felt locally.

We work in partnership with Indigenous people connected to the land where we operate.

We aim to work together to address disadvantage and help create stronger families and futures for Indigenous people in North West NSW and in Queensland’s Bowen Basin.

Our approach is specifically designed to be intergenerational in nature. We have oriented our focus towards addressing Indigenous disadvantage through initiatives in the areas of early childhood education and support, schooling, skills development and employment.

This holistic approach provides intergenerational support for children and their families, our employees and prospective employees, so local Indigenous people see their immediate needs being addressed, in addition to creating the socio-economic preconditions for future generations to grow and prosper.

Our Indigenous Employment Strategy helps transform and empower the lives of local Indigenous men and women through meaningful and well-paid work. In 2015, we set an ambitious target of 10% of our workforce at Maules Creek, our newest and largest mine, identifying as Indigenous. We have exceeded that target every year since, and now around 20% of our Maules Creek workforce identifies as Indigenous. Across our broader workforce, around 9% identify as Indigenous.

However, our approach goes beyond developing opportunities for employment; our investment aims to ensure local Indigenous people have the self-esteem and confidence to shape more positive futures. The practical measures we invest in are outlined in our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, launched in mid-2018.

Why Whitehaven?

If you like a challenge, and playing an active role out in the field in a thriving regional community, Whitehaven could be for you.

Big opportunities, high exposure

At Whitehaven people can and do make a difference. Whitehaven is a leading producer of premium-quality coal but we retain a community-feel, so you won't be just another graduate who gets lost in the crowd. You will have access to development opportunities and exposure to senior leaders throughout your early career.

Be out and about

You'll spend your first year out in the field getting your hands dirty, operating machinery and learning on the job. No two days are the same as you'll gain a deep understanding into how a mine operates. During your first year you will be placed at two different sites or teams as you begin to build your understanding of the business.

Our Graduate Program is a two-year development program intended to grow and develop our future leaders. You'll gain practical skills and training from both on-the-job learning experiences and formal development sessions. To ensure a breadth of experience, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to the success of a range of our sites and offices through the rotation program.

The program is based on rotations to give you the best understanding of our business possible. These rotations are residentially based in the Gunnedah and Narrabri region, except for some functional rotations which are based in our Sydney and Newcastle offices. We assist by covering relocation costs and offering camp accommodation for your first six months. At the end of the program, you will be offered a permanent role.

Mentoring is a strong focus of the program. Within your first weeks with us you will be paired with one of our senior leaders, who will provide you with coaching and guidance as you move through your rotations and into your post-program role.

We are seeking graduates across our four streams:

1. Engineering Stream
Disciplines we are seeking in the Engineering space include: Mining, Mechatronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Process, Mine Geotechnical, Civil, Metallurgy / Minerals Processing.

2. Health, Safety & Environment Stream:
Disciplines for the Health & Safety Stream include but are not limited to: Safety, Health, Occupational Hygiene, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Environmental Engineering.

3. Geo Stream:
Disciplines for the Geo stream exclusively include: Earth Science / Geology (Honours / Masters), Spatial Science (Surveying), Geotechnical Engineering (Masters), Mine Geomechanics (Masters).

4. Business Stream:
Disciplines include but are not limited to: Business, Commerce, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain & Logistics

5. Data Science Stream:
Disciplines include but are not limited to: Data Science, Statistics, Information Technology

We look forward to chatting with you. We'll be at a number of events throughout the year, so please come and say hello and ask any questions you may have.

The cadetship program seeks to support students through their studies. The program commences as a financial scholarship provided to the students to assist them with their degrees. We then offer the opportunity to join us over the summer break for vacation work. To be eligible for the program, you need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Local students from the Gunnedah/ Narrabri region
• Female students
• Indigenous students
• Students planning to study Mining Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering and Environmental Sciences.

Applicants should have aspirations to pursue an Undergraduate Degree in either Engineering, Geology, or Environmental Science. Applications open in August 2022.

The Vacation Student Program provides paid work experience opportunity that takes place over the summer holidays. During this time you will be place at one of our sites or offices and gain real, hands-on experience in pour operations. You will be provided with food, transport and accommodation for the duration of the program.

Applicants should be pursuing a degree in Mining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Geology, Surveying, Environmental Science, Health and Safety. We accept applications from students within all year levels at University including those completing post-graduate degrees.

Applications open in August 2022.

We know you're busy with life and study, so we've made the application process as simple as we can