Key Facts
- Molycop team member Luke Wilson is a finalist in the prestigious 2024 Hunter Manufacturing Awards.
- Luke won the Rookie of the Year award at the 2024 Molycop Australasia Excellence Awards.
- Luke was mentored by Tom Sinclair, Grinding Media Product Metallurgist, and Rick Dunn, Technical Services Manager.
Molycop is thrilled to announce that Luke Wilson, Metallurgy Graduate at Molycop’s Waratah site in NSW, Australia, has been named a finalist in the prestigious 2024 Hunter Manufacturing Awards.
Luke Wilson’s recognition as a finalist in the prestigious 2024 Hunter Manufacturing Awards is a fitting culmination of a remarkable year for the metallurgy graduate. Luke also won the Rookie of the Year award at the 2024 Molycop Australasia Excellence Awards.
Luke's achievement highlights the collective efforts of the entire Waratah team. A special thanks to his mentors, Tom Sinclair, Grinding Media Product Metallurgist, and Rick Dunn, Technical Services Manager – Grinding Media, for their unwavering support and guidance throughout Luke’s journey.
Are you curious about Luke’s path to success? Read Luke’s responses in our exclusive interview, in which he reflects on his cadetship journey, overcoming challenges and what this recognition means to him and the team.
I am currently studying chemical engineering at The University of Newcastle and have always had an interest in materials processing and both primary and secondary metallurgy. I was looking at opportunities to pursue some industrial experience while still at university, hence when the job advert came up at Molycop, it was a no brainer to apply. This was particularly due to the company’s strong industrial presence and positive reputation in the minerals processing and mining sector.
I have learned many things during my short time at Molycop, which have enhanced both my technical and professional skills. Being exposed to an industrial setting while still at university has allowed me to apply my learning in real-life scenarios on a daily basis, further refining my skills as an engineer. It has also enabled me to grow as a person as I have had the opportunity to work with various different disciplines and communicate with customers regularly.
Having mentors like Tom Sinclair and Rick Dunn have been a massive help to me, and I don’t believe I would be answering this question now if it was not for their aid. They have both given me a lot of their valuable time to help me with what problems I may be facing at work. They also have supported me in giving me access to various sources to enhance my knowledge and skills as a metallurgist. I also must give credit to Mick Allan who has also been a massive help to me during my time at Molycop. Without these three, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to be a finalist for this award.
The most significant project I have worked at Molycop on is my final-year university project, which investigates the oxidation behaviour of high carbon steel alloys. This was identified as an issue of high priority at Molycop Australia following the closure of all on site steel making facilities, as an increased volumes of steel scale was identified after the change in product feed. Conducting this investigation has taught me and those around me a lot about the specific role of certain elements and their oxidation behaviours in steel microstructure.
Firstly, winning Rookie of the Year was a massive achievement for me after my first year in the business. I was very proud and grateful to receive this reward, and to then be recognised as a finalist for the HMA Rising Star Award on top of this was very rewarding. Being acknowledged for the work I have done during my time here has motivated me to continue to strive and achieve bigger goals for Molycop.
My time at Molycop has resulted in a significant improvement to both my proble-solvinga nd teamwork skills. Being exposed to various real-life problems every day at Molycop has allowed me to sharpen my problem-solving skills massively, and I know feel much more equipped and confident to solve a wide range of problems. Being a part of a quality team during my time here has taught me the value of teamwork in a professional setting. By working with proactive, like-minded people, I feel very confident to solve any problem that arises in our team.
From an early period in my career, I have known that my long-term goal is to be involved in some sort of leadership role. Being surrounded by quality leaders has reinforced this as I have strong role models to aspire to. As I only am a cadet, I know this won’t happen for some time, so for the time being I want to gain as much information and experience about the business as possible. I want to increase my technical and professional skills as much as possible, so I am ready when any opportunities arise.
For future cadets, my biggest piece of advice is to apply and involve yourself in as much as you possibly can within the company. This has allowed me to gain a lot of industry knowledge and meet so many people throughout my time. Being able to work at a company such as Molycop while still at university has given me a better perspective of what life is like after studying, which I can’t recommend enough for those at university to experience.