Student Journal - Sydney Student Chapter - 2025 Wrap Up
The AusIMM Sydney Student Chapter has had an incredible year in shaping the journey of young professionals entering the resource sector. The chapter has grown significantly with students engaging in our professional conferences, networking events and site tours. Our strong partnership with WiMNet NSW and the AusIMM Sydney Branch have provided our members with access to experienced mentors and industry guidance which have been invaluable in supporting student development.
The Student Meets Industry Night achieved record attendance, with over 200 participants and has been instrumental in creating meaningful connections between students and industry professionals. In addition, exposure to site visits to Federation Mine, Northparkes, and Lake Cowal has also provided an amazing opportunity for students to learn and immerse themselves in the environments of underground, open-cut operations, processing facilities, and emerging technologies thanks to sponsors.
2025 Opening of the Student Meets Industry Night
In 2026, the Sydney Student Chapter is committed to continue to be a community that embraces the evolving nature of the resource industry. The committee is excited to welcome new members from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and academic disciplines to develop a more inclusive, informed and resilient future where all opportunities bridge the gap between university and the professional world.
Our 2026 leadership committee is dedicated to diversity and embracing representation especially with women in mining. The leadership committee firmly believes it is critical for women to be visible in leadership roles to inspire future generations to pursue careers in the industry. We want to expand our partnerships to involve a more diverse distribution of metalliferous and coal companies so that students have an equal opportunity to broaden their career prospects. Moreover, the AusIMM Sydney Student Chapter aims to get more involved with local communities and collaborate with neighbouring chapters through volunteer work and charitable support during site visits and continue producing positive impacts that are genuinely transformative.
2025 WiMNet in International Mining and Resources Conference
There is plenty of opportunity for students to participate in the events occurring in 2026 and the leadership committee welcomes our future sponsors to propose additional events and initiatives. The year will start with the annual Students Meet Industry Night on the 26th of February. This flagship event brings together students from across different universities, academic backgrounds and representatives from sponsoring companies, providing direct networking and meaningful industry engagement. This is a fantastic way for anyone new to the industry and serves as a great introduction to students like first year to connect with like-minded and ambitious individuals interested in mining and resources.
Throughout the calendar year, the student chapter will host a range of networking and professional development events including our spotlight events in March, June and July as well as Industry Insight Nights Hosted in June and October. These events are designed for students to grow their personal network of professionals and industry partners to meet eager talent. This year, across all events we saw an average of 90 in attendance which reflects the strong engagement and enthusiasm of the student community and we will continue to strive and provide value for both students and industry partners.
2025 Networking at the Student Meets Industry Night
The AusIMM Sydney Student Chapter and the collaboration of our platinum, gold and silver sponsors will host prospective field trips on the 16th-19th of March and 8th-11th of July*Dates subject to change. The leadership committee hopes to partner up with the mine’s respective local communities and neighbouring student chapters to create positive relationships with the student body and add value to the community. These opportunities will be open to our students and encourage our 1st and 2nd year students to engage in these field trips. For many of them, this will be their very first time on a mine site and will be an invaluable experience that deepens their understanding of practical mining operations and inspires them to pursue hands-on careers in the industry. Consequently, these students will have an exciting chance to witness the scale and potential of mining here in NSW and provide a broader awareness of where their degree will take them that a university classroom cannot replicate.
Another great opportunity students are able to participate in is the New Leaders Summit held in Brisbane this year from the 30th of September to the 1st of October which is a premier event that brings together hundreds of mining students and early career professionals to connect, be inspired and build skills that shape their careers. The summit will let attendees hear from industry leaders on innovation, sustainability, health and safety and activities that are done around Australia and its resources industry.
This year, the Sydney Student Chapter celebrated UNSW student Hamish Windybank, who won Best Written Thesis for his creative research on using carrot as a bio-admixture in shotcrete which reflects the intellect and dedication of our students and delivery of innovation. Furthermore, the student chapter will also continue participating in the APAC mining games on the 2nd and 3rd of October following the New Leaders Summit. This event is dedicated to all miners who have lost their lives in the course of duty and build comradery and connections between students and industry, as well as highlight the significant role mining plays within our community.
2025 APAC Mining Games
As engagement continues to grow stronger each year, with a noticeable increase in involvement, enthusiasm, and initiative from new students joining our chapter, we strongly encourage more students to get involved and encourage. We are committed to nurturing further young professionals and will continue to be guided by our values of diversity, respect, integrity and collaboration and dedicated to maintaining an environment where every student can grow professionally and personally while contributing positively to the wider industry culture and future. In 2026, the Sydney Student Chapter sincerely invites all students to continue their support and we welcome new members to join, participate and be part of our supportive community.