What it does: Global resources company
Staff stats: 80,000 employees and contractors
The good bits: High-performance culture
The not so good bits: Remote working
Hiring grads with degrees in: Engineering, Maths, IT & Computer Sciences; Finance, Accounting, and Business; Health & Medical Sciences; Earth Sciences
BHP – Broken Hill Proprietary (company limited) – was launched in 1885 to operate a silver and lead mine in Broken Hill, a mining region near the NSW-South Australia border. The company then ambitiously expanded its operations. First across NSW, then around Australia (including the oil-rich Bass Strait) and finally all over the world. By the time it merged with Billiton in 2001, BHP, aka ‘the Big Australian’, had grown into one of the world’s biggest resource companies.
BHP is headquartered in Melbourne and works across more than 90 locations throughout Australia, Chile, The United States and Candidate, as well as having production operations in Trinidad and Tobago and Algeria. Its primary operational units are metallurgical coal, copper, iron ore, petroleum, nickel and potash. The company has long been on the list of Australia’s top 10 largest companies and in 2021 had revenues of $60.817 billion.
BHP sees its raison d’etre as creating “long-term shareholder value through the discovery, acquisition, development and marketing of natural resources.” While aiming to make a profit, the company also embraces a “rigorous approach to workplace health, safety and labour conditions”. This includes requiring its contractors and suppliers to adhere to stringent standards.
While mining and processing resources are not eco-friendly activities, BHP “aims to avoid or, where this is not possible, minimise our impacts, while contributing to lasting environmental benefits across the regions where we operate”. The company has also stated that its goal by 2050 is to achieve net-zero for its operational omissions.
As would be expected, BHP operates in what has been a traditionally male-dominated industry where the work is often in remote areas, however, the company has seen female representation increase to 29.8% in the past four years. While the external hiring ratio is important (37.7 per cent in the last financial year), it is equally important that female employees stay with the Company and this sparked a reassessment of the workplace culture to ensure inclusive and appropriate work practices are consistently applied so “everyone feels valued, empowered and excited to work for us.”
In Australia, BHP is focused on providing economic opportunities for Indigenous people living near its mine sites. It has several programs that seek to increase the size of its Indigenous workforce.
BHP has long made a huge contribution to Australia’s economic prosperity and continues to do so. The company also engages in voluntary social investment, now mainly through the BHP Foundation (a US-based charity). The Foundation aims to assist in the achievement of many of the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) the United Nations announced in 2015. The Foundation and the company are focused on making progress on SDGs relating to climate action, quality education, reducing inequality and enhanced institutional governance of natural resources.
The Graduate Program
BHP’s 24 month graduate program provides a balanced approach to technical and professional development which ensures that our graduates have well-rounded capabilities that will be the cornerstone of their career.
The program includes:
Intern program
For both graduates and interns, most engineering and science roles are based on mine sites (QLD, WA and SA) where you will work either Fly-In-Fly-Out or residential (the company will cover your relocation costs and provide free accommodation). Back-office roles in areas such as Technology and Commercial will be in a capital city office.
Remuneration
Even with the post-mining boom, there are still some spectacular salaries available in the mining sector. BHP provides its employees with attractive salary packages, including performance-based bonuses and an employee share program.
That noted, be aware there is a reason mining companies pay FIFO workers so well. You may discover that working 12-hour shifts in a challenging physical environment for weeks on end while thousands of kilometres from family and friends is not something you wish to do, no matter how good the money.
Career prospects
The company aims to “attract, employ and develop [those] with exceptional skills” and encourage them to “grow, learn, develop their skills and reach their potential”. You can expect plenty of challenges working at BHP. If you rise to them, you can expect to enjoy an exciting and well-paid career at the company.
The vibe of the place
Most staff feel the company pays them well, provides them with plenty of professional development opportunities and does everything possible to guarantee their health and safety. It’s a friendly, relatively egalitarian workplace culture. You can expect to form strong bonds with your colleagues, especially if they are the only people within a thousand-kilometre radius.
From the Employer:
"Our purpose is to bring people and resources together to build a better world.
At the core of what we stand for as an organisation is a commitment to put health and safety first, be environmentally responsible and support the local communities where we operate. We are energised by the work we do, how well we do it and the difference we make by creating social value. We aim to build pride and loyalty in our workforce and always work and behave in a way that is ethical and consistent with Our Charter values of Sustainability, Integrity, Respect, Performance, Simplicity and Accountability. As part of the BHP team, you will work with highly-skilled, functional experts who share these values.
No matter where you are in the world, if you’re committed to continuous growth, curious about new technologies, and passionate about the impacts our decisions have on the earth, your undergraduate degree in engineering, science, technology, business or health science will open up the world of opportunity our Graduate Program can offer."
BHP offers graduate opportunities commencing in February each year, as well as 12-week internships for uni students from their second to penultimate year. Given its size, the company requires staff from a diverse range of backgrounds and is particularly keen on those with engineering, geoscience, technology, business and science (including health science and environmental science) degrees. BHP looks for people who thrive in team environment, are flexible and resilient under pressure, are eager to learn from others and can think creatively to solve real business problems.
The recruitment process starts with an online application which is followed by an online ability assessment and video interview. From here, shortlisted students will undertake a 1-on-1 with a business leader where students will have an opportunity to ask questions about BHP, as the company finds out more about you. If you are successful past this point you will receive an offer and if your role is based at a mine site, you’ll need to undergo a medical assessment prior to your start.
Most engineering and science roles are based on mine sites (QLD, WA and SA) where you will work either Fly-In-Fly-Out or residential (the company will cover your relocation costs and provide free accommodation). Back-office roles in areas such as Technology and Commercial will be in a capital city office.
Even the post-mining boom, there are still some spectacular salaries available in the mining sector. BHP provides their employees with attractive salary packages, including performance based bonuses and employee share program.
That noted, be aware there is a reason mining companies pay FIFO workers so well. You may discover that working 12-hour shifts in a challenging physical environment for weeks on end while thousands of kilometres from family and friends is not something you wish to do, no matter how good the money.
The company aims to “attract, employ and develop [those] with exceptional skills” and encourage them to “grow, learn, develop their skills and reach their potential”. You can expect plenty of challenges working at BHP. If you rise to them, you can expect to enjoy an exciting and well-paid career at the company.