The Gold Industry Group (GIG) released their 2020 Impact Report, reflecting on the impact of their activities during a tumultuous year for most Australians with the challenges that COVID-19 presented throughout the country and the rest of the world.
Overcoming these challenges with numerous achievements was made possible through the collective effort of GIG members, digging deep to support the community and fostering a greater understanding of gold’s value to Australia.
Gold Industry Group Chair Kelly Carter expressed her gratitude to GIG members and reflected on another growth year for the Group.
“It has been fantastic to see members respond to the challenges of the last year, rallying behind the community to provide support where it was needed most. We have been proud to showcase these initiatives,” Ms Carter said.
“At the same time, 2020 also marked the launch of a number of new initiatives, including the national Gold Jobs website, National Gold Education Program, and a new partnership with the Australian Earth Science Education (AusEarthEd); all of which are centered around education and developing talent pathways to support our future industry workforce,” she added.
Attracting 110k+ visitors viewing 288k+ pages and showcasing more than 450 jobs since its launch in May 2020, the National Gold Jobs website provides a one-stop-shop of gold jobs and career-related information. The content hub drives jobseekers to the advertised roles and workplace programs to apply, encourages new and existing jobseekers to consider or further their career in the gold industry, and educates the wider community about the gold industry and its diverse opportunities.
In 2020, the National Gold Education Program provided 300 schools with exclusive Gold Resources Kits and access to free, interactive gold demonstrations delivered by passionate employees of GIG members. Through hands-on STEM activities designed for Upper Primary and Lower Secondary classes, students learnt all about gold, its value, relevance, and opportunities.
Ms Carter shared her excitement to hear such positive feedback from teachers, students and employees as a result of the Group’s education program.
“We’ve received fantastic feedback from teachers who have received a Gold Resources Kit and hosted a Gold Class Session as part of our National Gold Education Program.
“More than 90% indicated their students were interested in finding out more about careers in gold and were highly satisfied with the resources provided,” Ms Carter said.
The GIG’s partnership with AusEarthEd is supporting NSW schools by providing free local, contextual resources, educator training and mentoring, and engagements with both students and industry. They have been working hard to provide much-needed resourcing to schools throughout COVID-19, and have been eager to release real-life case studies provided by Gold Industry Group members.
“With industry insight and real-life examples sought-after in schools, our partnership with Australian Earth Science Education is providing a valuable opportunity to share the gold industry’s earth and environmental science projects and inspire the next generation,” Ms Carter concluded.
The Group’s partnership with Netball WA, West Coast Fever, and Shooting Stars has generated awareness and interest in the gold sector across all levels of the sport. Increased support for West Coast Fever provided the GIG with significant exposure across the country, while inspiring more than 350 Indigenous girls in eight WA communities to attend school more through the Shooting Stars program.
In spite of COVID-19, the GIG has supported more than 35 community and industry events and held four of its own. The GIG’s media footprint also expanded considerably to reach more than 55 million through an increase in content generation, digital campaigns and visibility.
Having welcomed eight new members in 2020, the Gold Industry Group is positive that last year’s achievements will continue to expand as they connect Australians to our gold industry.