A balanced work life and healthy people are at the core of endurable business culture. At Orrcon Steel, we understand that balancing work and personal commitments leads to improved health and greater happiness.
That’s why we aim to provide a wide range of programmes and benefits that support each and every one of us at different times in our life. Take a look and explore a few of these for yourself.
Mel began her career at Orrcon Steel as a Production Operator in 2016. Her initial goal was to learn new skills and advance in her career. Five years later, Mel accomplished these goals, becoming a Mill Operator and now in a Production Support role.
Now that her initial goals have been met, Mel’s new goal is to keep gaining experience in her current position to see where her career may go.
She was the first female Mill Operator, which undoubtedly has been one of her proudest professional achievements throughout her career.
Mel believes safety has increased in importance and improved in recent years at Orrcon Steel.
When asked what she liked best about her job, Mel said it was the variety of opportunities and the culture at Orrcon Steel.
“Getting on-the-job experience and development has helped me enormously and the support from my supervisors and team leaders has helped me progress in my career journey,” Mel states.
Tony started with Metalcorp in 2000 as an Operations/Welder team member. His career journey was unplanned, and he says, “I was a customer buying products for the family and was offered a six-month job until I planned to travel overseas in my gap year before university started”.
Tony has always desired to be pushed to be the best that he can be. He is now not only the Branch Manager of Metalcorp Dubbo, but also the NSW Rural Manager. Although this initial path was never intended, Tony aims to continually improve, expand, and grow the Dubbo site to reach its full potential.
“Hard work, going above and beyond, and constantly engaging and developing the people who work for me have all contributed to my current position,” Tony says.
He has had a variety of opportunities throughout his career, including working with people in the business who share the same mindset and goals, and working for customers who appreciate what we do for them.
Tony’s professional advancement has yielded numerous benefits.
“There have been so many wonderful things,” he says. “I don’t believe I can single out one professional accomplishment for which I am the proudest. Moving from the old site, reaching 20 years of service, winning the innovation award, winning some of the largest sales and customers, and keeping my staff safe are just a few examples.”
Tony has held positions such as Operations Manager, Sales, Branch Manager, and NSW Rural Manager over the years. “I’ve learned that if you want something to happen, you can’t just wait for it; you have to go after it.”
“Over the years, Metalcorp has provided me with a variety of personal and professional development opportunities that have aided and advanced my career. I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from some wonderful people and participate in some large projects, which have allowed me to learn from the mistakes we’ve made along the way,” Tony states.
Salu’s journey with Orrcon Steel shows just how many opportunities are available if you “have a plan or a pathway in mind and share it with your supervisor”.
His time at Orrcon Steel has been filled with stimulating and rewarding personal and professional development opportunities. Starting in the packing bay, Salu was determined to learn multiple workstations on the mill, and within three years, had become a multi-skilled mill operator.
“The support of managers through development opportunities and mentoring has made my journey easier and rewarding at the same time. There are two prominent managers that are still with our business who have played a big part in my journey. Without a doubt, I could easily pick up the phone and chat with them, which has been a highlight, knowing they are still with the business.”
“What most fulfils me is seeing team members develop and achieve their goals,” he says.
A memorable experience for Salu was participating in a pilot leadership program ‘Orrcon Insights’, allowing him to work alongside colleagues from different areas of the business, and learn about those areas. With continuous support and coaching from site managers and the general manager, he has identified his path and opportunities within himself.
So, what’s in store for the future? Salu would like to work closely with others in the business to learn more and share his knowledge and experiences.
“I would like to transition into a management job where I can impact, contribute and add value to our people and the company plan by using all of my experience, particularly my recent leadership training and role as Culture Champion.
“Overall, I have enjoyed the opportunities that have been provided to me, and working alongside good people, each who have played a big part in my career by believing in my ability to grow and develop.”
Nancy characterises her career journey as a “non-traditional road that a few people told me wasn’t doable”. She started her job as an Account Coordinator in 2013. Nancy discusses how her main goal when she initially started was to work for a large company with opportunities for promotion. “I came from a small government-contracted employment agency and had completed but not used my business degree. I intended to put my business degree to use by working for a huge organisation, which was something I had never done before.” “I have accomplished my goal. There have been many possibilities to enhance my knowledge and skills in various roles across various sites,” Nancy continues. “I have put my business degree to work, and I have developed as a person overall.”
Even though Nancy’s path was unplanned, she said that she saw every chance as a door that had been opened for her. Her career has taken her to a variety of positions. “I moved from an Account Coordinator in our Upstream business in Braeside VIC to a newly created post as Operations Coordinator at BlueScope Distribution, a downstream business of around 32 people, of which I was 2IC (second in charge). After that, I was offered a six-month secondment as a State Supply Chain Manager for the same downstream sector. I then returned to our Upstream business as an Operations Coordinator in our Westernport VIC Manufacturing plant in the Metal Coating department of 130 workers, where again I was 2IC (second in charge).”
Nancy is now the Branch Manager for Metalcorp/Orrcon Steel Morwell. Nancy believes that the best career advice she has received was to “forget role titles, departments, and structure; instead, micro-analyse your role into what you enjoy or dislike and allow that to direct you into what you aspire to next”. This advice has stuck with her to this day. Nancy has seized the opportunities that have come up. She mentions some of the personal and professional development opportunities she has been exposed to that have helped her advance in her career. These include being a mentor for an up-and-coming supervisor going through a Leadership course, chairing the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and getting the Branch Manager role.
Nancy’s experience exemplifies the variety of roles and opportunities available and the various paths your career can take you down. “The belief in me from the company overall has been very humbling.” Nancy was quite young when she first started and believed it was a very official and structured industry at the time. She could see that there were just a few women in positions of influence or management roles that she could visibly aspire to. However, as Nancy has progressed in the company, she has observed the company’s trajectory towards becoming a more inclusive and welcoming place to work.
“There have been some visible changes in structure, policy, and capital dollars spent,” Nancy says. “But there have also been some other not-so-obvious changes in the way the business has prioritised its attitude towards the support of this purpose.”
Nancy may be pleased with various facets of her career success. Her proudest moment, though, was being nominated by her peers for two Women in Industry Awards.
Her next professional step will be to listen to her own advice: “Micro-analyse my current position, and when the negatives start to outweigh the advantages for me at the time, then it’s time to move on to my next challenge.” She adds that her involvement in people and team development has been the most enjoyable aspect of her career thus far, and she may consider returning to that field as her next move.
“I started in Orrcon Steel’s Supply Chain department as a stock analyst in early 2016,” Lesley says. Her goal at the start of her career was to see if the skills she had gained from working in the fashion and hair industry could be transferred to a completely different industry. Even though steel is the furthest thing from fashion and hair, Lesley could see that she could translate her skills and develop new ones. She is now Demand & Analytics Manager.
“I have had great managers who are interested in my development both in my profession and personal development,” Lesley says, explaining how she got to where she is now.
Orrcon Steel had just joined BlueScope and switched systems in 2016. Lesley was introduced not long after this, bringing her a slew of new changes and challenges.
“It was an exciting and thought-provoking time for me to witness and be a part of”.
“One of the really great things about Orrcon Steel, being a part of the BlueScope business, is that there are also so many potential opportunities to explore different parts of the steel industry, so I feel really comfortable that if I was ever looking for a change, there would be ways to get that without having to uproot completely.”
Lesley’s career has steadily advanced over the years. She was given the opportunity to take on a management position after her previous manager moved on.
“This felt like a natural progression for me, so I was happy to take on the change in my role because I knew I would have the support I needed to work through the tasks that might be new to me. My team has several different functions, so there has been a learning curve to understand them better. Because I am naturally curious, my natural inclination is to learn new things to broaden my understanding and better determine solutions to business challenges.”
As can be seen from the beginning, Lesley is eager to see and learn new skills and experiences that Orrcon Steel can provide for her and her team.
In 2016, Alyssa started her journey at Orrcon Steel as a warehouse team member with the goals of advancing into senior leadership and making a solid living. Alyssa has progressed in her role in Orrcon Steel’s warehouse area and is on the way to achieving her goals.
Along the way, Alyssa took up the personal and professional development opportunities provided to advance her career.
In the last six years, she has accomplished a Certificate III in Warehousing and achieved qualifications in advanced load restraint twice. Her perseverance and focus on learning have contributed to her career progression. Alyssa says that the recognition from her team and others in the business has provided her with some of her proudest professional moments.
She reflects on her early time at Orrcon Steel and what most enabled her to reach her current position.
“My trainers and welcome team helped me get to where I am now,” she states. This illustrates that strong and enduring relationships can be created at work through cooperation, trust, friendliness and going above and beyond to assist one another.
Alyssa has noted a very positive shift in safety awareness.
“The importance of safety and the protocols that we have put in place has developed a lot since 2016. It is encouraging to see that our people are aware of the safety measures implemented throughout the years.”
She also appreciates the focus on work-life balance. “The flexibility is something I have enjoyed while at Orrcon Steel,” Alyssa says.
In the future, she hopes to continue her career journey with Orrcon Steel by moving into Dispatch and Processing.
With a strong desire to make a difference, enhance procedures, and gain a position with a successful organisation in a warm and caring environment, Anne began her career with Orrcon Steel in 2020 as a Customer Service Team Leader at Marsden Park near Sydney.
Looking back at her goals, Anne can proudly say that she has accomplished them all after only being with the company a few years.
Anne’s new long-term goals include enhancing her business skills and becoming a National Customer Service Management team member.
“The support of great mentors, being surrounded by a positive environment, the opportunities to learn and overcome challenges and key motivational components,” Anne says, “have made a tremendous contribution to where I am today.”
When speaking with Anne, the topic always returns to the positive work environment. The people-focused culture, the caring people you work with and constantly being productive are some of the things she has enjoyed the most at Orrcon Steel.
Anne’s role offers the opportunity to be actively involved in national projects and work streams. She has accomplished a great deal since starting at Orrcon Steel. When asked about her finest professional achievements at Orrcon Steel, Anne mentions having her ideas acknowledged, recognised, and acted on, and seeing positive changes come to life each and every day in her role.
Anne has been exposed to a variety of personal and professional development opportunities, including managing the NSW Branch of Artcraft Australia, a specialist in customer care, involvement in management-level decisions and strategies, and mentoring others.
Anne says that they all played a role in where her career has placed her today, and she’s keen to see where the future will take her.
In 2018, Thuy was offered a position as an international assignment for Orrcon Steel in Australia. She considers this to be one of her proudest professional accomplishments.
With such a diverse and ever-changing career path, we asked Thuy what she has most enjoyed in her career thus far. “The ongoing opportunities that I am presented with each year, inspire me to keep thinking and finding new ways to continue to progress in my career,” she says.
Since 2018 Thuy has been the National Human Resources Manager at Orrcon Steel Australia. She began her career at BlueScope in February 2010 as the VP of Human Resources at BlueScope Vietnam. Her ambition was to become a successful HR leader in the ASEAN market, and she is unquestionably on the right track!
Thuy states that one of the most memorable lessons she had to learn as she progressed through her career was to be herself and to be confident in her abilities.
Discussing what has contributed to her success, she says, “The passion for my job, improving my profession every day, maintaining a high-performing team that pushes their boundaries, and continuing to add value have all had an impact.”
When we asked Thuy about the types of personal and professional development opportunities she has had recently, she explains, “I have just completed my master’s degree in Human Resources with RMIT in Australia. Through BlueScope’s B-flex program, I was able to complete this online while it complemented my current role in Australia; it helps me understand the insights of the current labour market and future trends and introduces me to new ways of thinking.”
Thuy has been impressed with the changes over the last few years and is excited to see what lies ahead for her and the business.
“The company has transformed to become more strategic and innovative, with a greater emphasis on future leadership development. Both the customer and employee experiences have evolved.”
Annie originally began working as a Talent Acquisition Advisor at BlueScope, supporting the Orrcon Steel business in 2018.
“I was looking for an internal recruitment role in a heavy industry to advance my HR career. I am currently working as a People Business Partner at Orrcon Steel, which is one of my proudest professional accomplishments” Annie states.
“When I was working as a Talent Acquisition Advisor, my manager was someone who helped me get to where I am today. She took the time to get to know me as a person and understand my strengths and weaknesses. She assisted me with coaching and guidance, which helped me secure my new position as a HR generalist” Annie elaborates.
Annie maintains a strong connection with her manager, Rachel. “I still stay in contact with her and check in regularly, as she is still the Talent Acquisition Manager here at BlueScope. I often pick up the phone and talk to her, send family pictures, or just keep her up to date on my life.”
Annie describes how her personal development and the opportunities to work with different people have contributed to her personal growth, and are some of the highlights of her career journey at BlueScope and Orrcon Steel. She often says that she has found both the career opportunities and the understanding of how steel is produced utterly fascinating.
“Right now, I am settled and will focus on my growth even more as the next step in my career, as I learn and develop into a well-rounded Human Resources professional” Annie explains.
Our people are our strength. Each day, we’re dedicated to supporting our people, keeping each other safe, rewarding successes, and helping individuals grow. We encourage our people to be proactive in creating a healthy and safe workplace. By joining BlueScope, you will be empowered to embark on a continuous learning journey to help support you to work safely, identify risks and develop effective controls in order to protect the health and safety of your colleagues and the teams and businesses in which you operate.
The workplace of the future is a more flexible one, and something we’ve been working on for a while at Bluescope. Our innovative B-Flex program is all about changing the way we work: an acknowledgement that today’s workers want more flexibility in the hours, days and how they work.
At the heart of B-Flex is the belief that all roles have some degree of flexibility, some more than others.
For some of our employees, it’s about compressing their hours, creating a four-day week, a nine-day fortnight or even simply a monthly rostered day off (RDO). Others have come up with ways of sharing roles: for example, two supervisors in the Western Port mill shared a position month on, month off. As one stated, “I’ve got a lot still to offer the company in terms of experience and knowledge and this gives me the best of both worlds”.
One of the new job-share working arrangements even involves a father-and-daughter duo, with the dad transitioning towards retirement and his daughter balancing work with the enjoyment and demands of having a young family. “It’s perfect. Dad and I get to work the hours that fit in with the lives each of us want to have.”
The greatest appeal of B-Flex has been the improvement in lifestyle balance. Not surprisingly, workers report improved mental health, lifestyle and job satisfaction. At the same time, management has found that a happier, more flexible workforce has also led to things like better productivity, less absenteeism, and improved safety.
At BlueScope, we’re continuing to explore these flexible work opportunities through B-Flex, finding new ways to help our employees achieve an optimum work and lifestyle balance. We’re so proud of our people at BlueScope—they’re the heart and soul of our business and our greatest asset. So, it makes sense that we want to look after them in the best way possible to ensure they’re set up for success.
As an employee of BlueScope you’ll gain access to our extensive Health and Well-being Programme. It provides a wealth of offerings such as counselling, financial and legal services as well as access to a wellbeing platform which has a number of wellbeing resources and self-help tools, including access to fitness, nutrition, social and mental well-being applications.
At BlueScope, you have access to the following additional benefits:
“I have a role that delivers training, development, system support and technology to our business. With the B-Flex options offered by Orrcon Steel and BlueScope, I get the flexibility to be in the office, at different sites and work from home – all to work not around but with my role requirements, the business needs and the needs of my family. This has allowed me to be available for children’s sports commitments at previously unavailable times or locations, staff development workshops at alternate sites, in-office collaboration and training sessions, as well as virtual development training delivered from the comfort of my home, all in the same week. A game-changer for work-life balance!”
Orrcon Steel Warehouse and Logistics Manager Glenn Todd won the 2017 Logistics Safety Code Award at the 2017 Australian Steel Institute (ASI) Health and Safety Excellence Awards. Glenn received the Logistics Safety Code Award for his safety leadership and ability to improve site processes across the steel, transport and logistics industry.
He has been working for Orrcon Steel since 2002 and started as a Logistics Supervisor before working his way up the ranks to become a Logistics and Warehouse Manager.
Site Manager of Orrcon Steel Salisbury, Daniel Crompton, said Glenn sets an extremely high benchmark with his commitment to fatigue management and passion for continuing to improve all facets of Orrcon Steel’s safety.
As a Logistics and Warehouse Manager, Glenn was renowned for his ability to bring an innovative safety approach to his role.
“I try and link back to why we are operating safely and encourage my staff to think about who is waiting for them back home,” Glenn says.
As an experienced Logistics and Warehouse Manager, Glenn implemented strategies to prevent any risk of injury and has now been recognised as an industry leader in creating a safety-focused culture.
“I see a massive opportunity to change paths and mindsets to make a difference around safety rather than lack of safety changing lives forever,” he says.
