Reimagining career advancement
When Liana Eales left school in 2021, she worried that a lack of experience would prevent her from getting an office position. But starting at The Perth Mint in a production role proved to be the fast track to the job of her dreams. We’ve asked for her thoughts on reimagining her career advancement.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
“When I left school I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in life. Many of my friends had a particular career in mind, but I was open to just about anything.
I knew that I was drawn to an office environment. But being so young and fresh out of school I didn’t think I’d be able to land a job with the responsibility and variety I was looking for.
So, while I could have gone to university, I decided to start earning money and getting some real-world experience to carry me forward in my career.”
How did you come to apply at The Perth Mint?
“My dad had worked at The Perth Mint in the Coining Division (CD). Growing up, I had that personal insight into all the different kinds of work that was available at the Mint.
About a week after school finished, I applied for a role in the CD in the inspection team and was successful!”
What was it like working in the Coining Division?
“Working in inspection was a fantastic introduction to the Mint. I got to be a part of the manufacturing team, watch how the business worked, and play a part in making our world-class products.
It also helped me improve my communication skills. Previously I had worked jobs with other young people around my age. But with the huge variety of people in the CD, I think I was naturally able to learn how to communicate professionally with people of all different ages and backgrounds.
All that prepared me well for my next steps.”
What happened next?
“One day we had a team meeting and there was a representative from the HR department there. The Mint was hiring for its Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance office and looking for internal candidates.
I was very happy working in the inspection team and hadn’t been actively looking for other options. But this seemed like a great chance to advance myself professionally, so I put my name forward.
There was an interview and some aptitude tests and before I knew it, I was working at our St George’s Terrace office as a customer service representative.”
Have you enjoyed your new role?
“Since moving I’ve had a promotion! Now I’m Senior Customer Relationship Specialist. But absolutely, I’ve enjoyed working in the AML team.
AML compliance is a growing area of concern across many different businesses, so the knowledge I’ve been gaining is extremely transferable, and it’s exciting to think where that might lead one day.
When I began in this team I was largely working on the phones, contacting customers and updating records. With my recent change to a senior role, I’m now more focused on quality checks, liaising with managers, and helping colleagues with any difficulties that come up.
Every day I have the chance to practice communication and leadership skills and interact with different kinds of people and viewpoints. I’ve learned a lot through these experiences and interactions.
One thing I’ve really enjoyed is working on data analytics. Recently I’ve been creating graphs and tables which analyse workflow data and the key points which help map out our quality levels. It’s really exciting learning these new ways to provide feedback and collect data as I feel like I’m gaining so much useful knowledge and helping others grow as well.”
Looking back, do you think you made the right choice working at The Perth Mint?
“I left school with no firm plans. All I knew for sure was that I wanted to support myself and gain real-world experience to advance my career.
Working at The Perth Mint has been great so far, there have been so many opportunities to develop myself, and I can see that there’s room to progress even further.
I absolutely believe I made the right choice working here. I have responsibility, challenges, and chances to grow. It’s been a fantastic start to my career."
If you’d like to know more about careers available with The Perth Mint, visit: https://www.perthmint.com/about/careers
