big picture stories

Terri Cameron

Posted: January 28, 2014

Terri Cameron 5

Terri Cameron

In 1986, I was persuaded to apply for a job at the brand spanking new, Southern Aluminium Wheel Plant at Bell Bay.  Initially 16 positions were advertised as part of the commissioning of the plant for the down-stream processing of molten aluminium from Comalco, (now known as Bell Bay Aluminium) into mag wheels for the Japanese market.

After a significant testing and interviewing process I was offered a position. I was one of two females in the crew. I was 42 years of age. My female colleague was much younger. Over 400 candidates had tested for mechanical aptitude and she and I were in the top three. Our psychological profiles and leadership abilities also ranked highly so we were both offered positions.

Certain sections of the local community were outraged that we were offered these positions. This was 1987 and feelings ran pretty high for a while but I was absolutely determined to prove my selection had been based on merit.

Talk about a 90 degree learning curve! I might have been potentially mechanically gifted but I don’t think I had ever even changed a light globe, not that I shared this at my interview.

But, as I was soon to discover, it is amazing what you can do when circumstances demand it, and when you work with exceptional people. The next six months were certainly the most challenging, exhilarating, terrifying but exciting times of my entire working life.

In 1990 I was approached and asked if I was interested in a career path, focusing on health and safety management issues. This proved to be a highly rewarding, albeit challenging career path.  David Jenkins, David Sadler, Peter Rodwell, Bill Bardsley, and Sam Walsh (who I think must have been the equivalent of an Area Manager then) – and so many other people in the operation supported and encouraged me to develop my skills further.

From a professional perspective, I never looked back. I travelled extensively around Australia, meeting people and visiting places that I would never have had the opportunity to visit if not through work. By 1989 all members of my immediate family were employed by Comalco. My four children were employed at the Comalco smelter, whilst I was employed at Southern Aluminium. As a family we went from having very little money – to earning decent money of our own. We felt extremely lucky!

Even though the wheel plant closed in 1997 I feel very fortunate to have worked there. So many people were given opportunities to learn skills, both in management and production. Now as I approach my 70’s with my working life mostly behind me, I find that my fondest memories of work are of my time at the Pier in George Town, but my challenges and strongest personal growth came from my seven years at the Southern Aluminium Wheel Plant.

I live in George Town and I know how important the aluminium smelter is to the local community and the Tamar Valley region, offering employment opportunities for 450 people and supporting local suppliers and contractors.

I am extremely proud of the fact that my two eldest boys still work at the Bell Bay Aluminium smelter and in an industry that contributes significantly to the fortunes of the Tasmanian economy.