Portable Spectral Services Recognised for Accelerating Women in Male Dominated Mining Industry

Portable Spectral Services (PSS) who predominantly operate in the WA mining industry offering hire, sales and training of portable analytical equipment have been listed as a finalist in the 2022 Telstra Best of Business Awards in the category Accelerating Women. The high retention of female staff at Portable Spectral Services, managing director Christabel Brand notes, has resulted from “years of fostering a working culture that focuses on skills and career development of all staff regardless of age, career stage or gender.” She goes on to express that “the workplace community has created an environment within a male dominated industry where many female workers feel secure, safe, and seen in their roles.”

PSS demonstrates the male dominance seen in mining companies across WA and nationally is a trend, but certainly not the rule. Over the past ten years most employees have been women from diverse backgrounds of varying ages from in their teens to their fifties. PSS have employed school leavers, university students, graduates, young mums re-entering the workforce and more mature ladies too. PSS has always provided the option of flexible part-time work best support the mothers on our team, ensuring they are always able to care for their families. 

Christabel Brand sees many parallels in the opportunities provided in own career prior to establishing PSS in 2011. Arriving in Kalgoorlie in her mid-twenties with a diploma in medical sciences and no jobs available in her field, she secured a position as an assay assistant at the local gold refinery. Within two years Christabel became manager of the assay department and as she recalls, “I was trusted to do this position based on my skills not qualifications.” Christabel celebrates her early successes affirming “the opportunities generously afforded to me in my early working life has shaped what I have become today. I am keen to pass this legacy on to our up-and-coming women in the company, providing them the chance to excel regardless of gender, age, qualifications and situation.” 

Whilst many companies strive for diversity, unconscious bias in awarding roles to familiar faces and gender within the mining industry continues. PSS is breaking this trend with highly specialised workers being afforded the same opportunities regardless of gender. As Christabel expressed, “I believe in employing people based on their abilities, skills and suitability for the job not on their gender or age.” 

This is a momentous achievement for Portable Spectral Services, who are very proud to be listed as a 2022 Telstra Business Award finalist for accelerating women. 

• 24, 310 nominations entered across all categories nationally 
• PSS are among 239 finalists nationally
• PSS are 1 of 3 WA state finalists for this category 
• State winners announced in February 2022 and National winners in April 2022

Company Description at Bottom

Portable Spectral Services was founded by Christabel Brand in 2011, who was re-entering the workforce after 20 years of raising children. Since this time, Christabel has grown the company with a team of specialised staff to become a unique provider within the mining industry, offering the hire, sale and training of spectral technology. 

Read more: https://telstrabestofbusinessawards.com/ 

For media enquiries and interviews, please contact media and marketing officer Emma Brand. 
e: [email protected] p: (08) 9321 2830.