Belinda, Heavy Equipment Repair Technician – Zambia to Australia
Where did Belinda’s journey with us begin?
We first met Belinda in 2022, when we were tasked with sourcing highly skilled technicians for Australia. In November 2022 she sat down with Dennis and Brent in Lusaka, Zambia, and talked about her training, her work and her ambitions.
Belinda was a joy to listen to — an infectious thirst for life. She trained from September 2011 to April 2014 at the Mufulira Technical Training Institute, completing a Heavy Equipment Repair Technician course. In 2014 she also completed a course in computing, principles of information technology and office skills, was awarded the Advanced Certificate in Heavy Equipment Repair, and was admitted to the Engineering Institution of Zambia.
She talked with passion about her employer, First Quantum Minerals at the Trident Mine, where she had worked since May 2016 — and with great fondness about her co-workers, including being part of the mining teams recognised in 2017 for reaching three million work hours without a lost time injury.
Still she wasn't finished learning: four Caterpillar training courses in 2020, then in 2021 she put her hand up for two Komatsu certified electrical and maintenance courses on 860E and 960E dump trucks. She told us plainly: she was ready for new challenges.
Genuine feedback and guidance
Belinda had fantastic skills and experience on large rigid mining trucks. On this occasion, though, she lacked exposure to some of the other equipment and OEMs the Australian client of the day required — and we told her so, honestly.
We explained that Skilled Migration Group would search out a role that properly matched her experience, that we would for certain be talking to her again, and we gave her advice on areas where extra experience would strengthen her hand. We asked whether it would be OK to check in from time to time and keep her updated on upcoming work that would suit her.
Belinda just smiled her usual infectious smile and said she’d be happy to stay in touch.
We meet again
In September 2023 we met up with Belinda again in Lusaka. We had been tasked with finding a number of highly skilled technicians for an exceptional Australian company — highly respected, the leader in their field — and we felt Belinda was exactly the skills and experience they were looking for.
When Belinda and Dennis started talking about the role, Belinda said: “it sounds perfect for me.”
Pack your bags Belinda, you’re going to Australia!
On Friday 15 November 2023, Belinda met the Australian employer. She would be the first to admit she was very nervous — she said later she felt so much pressure riding on that chance. But she soon got into her stride and demonstrated her knowledge of large rigid mining trucks, and the supervisor from the Australian company agreed with our assessment: Belinda — subject to accepting the offer, and being approved for an Australian visa — you are going to Australia!
Belinda accepted. She obtained her Australian work visa, and she deployed to Queensland, where she remains today — doing the work, and getting used to living in Australia.
She told us her Australian employer has been amazing: a fantastic induction program, exceptional quality in the work and the products, and a way of looking after their workers built on care, humility, laughter and real team spirit, from the bottom to the top. She said she would recommend her employer to anyone.
Feedback from Belinda
Belinda wanted us to say, first and foremost, that she is proud to share her journey — not because she wants praise, but because if she, a proud Zambian woman, can do it, then she hopes people will see that they can do it too.
She had many people to thank at First Quantum in the Copperbelt. She was never discriminated against because she was a woman, she said — but there were tough days, and the work was hard, and her co-workers, teammates and supervisors all helped each other. Zambians helping Zambians, getting everyone through each shift safely. For that she will forever be grateful.
She is honest about Australia too: it isn’t always perfect, and people should expect to do the work they are trained to do when they arrive. She has made the effort to meet people outside work, and recently found a church — different from what she knew in Zambia, but full of nice people who have warmly welcomed her.
Belinda, you are a star. A rock star. You are a well-trained technician: you not only made it in mining in Africa, you got yourself — through your own efforts — into a role in Australia. Yes, it was you, Belinda. You got yourself here. You worked hard. You earned your shot. Enjoy life in Australia. Many, many people will take hope from reading your journey.
That was Belinda’s worker’s journey. We are Skilled Migration Group. Quality never goes out of style.
“Belinda said she is proud to share her story — not because she wants praise, but because if she, a proud Zambian woman, can do it, then she hopes people will see that they can do it too.”
“From the time I came to meet Dennis and the group I've never spent any money to be enrolled or to be a part of this of this beautiful family of the skilled migration group. They keep their promises and they stick to their word”
Belinda Mulala · Google review, record 037 (read it in full)
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