Ruby's Trade: It's in the Making

"It's in the making" – this year's National Apprenticeship Week Australia theme – perfectly captures Ruby's journey as an apprentice.

As a proud Bigambul woman who completed her mechanical fitter apprenticeship with host Shell QGC and MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees in November 2025, Ruby's story is one of building skills, confidence, and a rewarding career through an apprenticeship pathway.

From taking a chance in an unfamiliar industry to becoming a qualified tradesperson now training others, Ruby proves that success isn't about having it all figured out from the start – it's built one shift, one task, one skill at a time.

Choosing the Apprenticeship Path

When Ruby finished high school in Canberra at the end of 2019, a traditional university pathway wasn't calling her name.

"I wasn't the most studious kid," she admits openly.

"I did struggle sitting in the classroom and completing school tasks and assignments."

With family connections in Queensland, Ruby moved north to Chinchilla after high school to undertake further study. It was this move that opened an unexpected door – she saw MIGAS advertising apprenticeships, and her decision was straightforward:

"I just thought, you know, why not? I'm younger. I think I have the ability. And now I'm here."

What appealed to Ruby about apprenticeships was the practical, hands-on approach.

"You're getting two birds with one stone – you are working, you are getting paid, but you're also learning," she explains. "I'm a hands-on sort of person."

Learning the Trade

Ruby's apprenticeship introduced her to the detailed world of mechanical fitting. The physical demands were real – the work involves heavy lifting, removing equipment parts, and using tools that require considerable strength. But she found support from her teammates.

"Most of the people that I've worked with have been really understanding," she shares. "They're willing to help and teach."

The key to success, Ruby learned, was communication and showing a willingness to learn.

"I think showing that willingness to learn and putting in the effort and having a good attitude has made it easier to connect and show that I am someone that they should share their knowledge and experience with."

A Day in the Life

Ruby's typical day starts at 6am with morning pre-starts, where the team reviews yesterday's work and plans for the day ahead.

After gathering permits, tooling, and PPE, they head to the job site – one of eight gas compression facilities scattered around Chinchilla.

"Our engines are the ones that run the compressors and compress the gas," Ruby explains.

Her work involves detailed services on these large engines: replacing spark plugs, valve checks, oil changes, and servicing pumps. In the Queensland summer heat, the team sets up shades where they can before settling into hands-on work that continues until 4:20pm.

The Power of Moving Teams

One aspect of Shell QGC's apprenticeship program that Ruby particularly values is the annual team rotation.

"Each year I've moved to a different team and learnt different things along the way," she says.

While this constant change presented its own challenges – "It's always different equipment, so sometimes that can be a challenge" – Ruby recognises the value.

"You'd get comfortable by the end of your first year, and you're like, 'Yep, I've got all my bases covered.' And then you move again, and you learn something new. I think that helps really build your character."

Qualified and Paying it Forward

Having completed her apprenticeship in November 2025, Ruby is now adjusting to life as a qualified tradesperson. The shift brings new responsibilities: ensuring permits are correct, confirming all parts are available, and perhaps most significantly, teaching apprentices herself.

"It's really weird," she laughs about working with an apprentice. "He's asking me questions, and I'm like, 'Do I actually know that?' And I just take a second to remember – I do know what I'm doing."

Ruby is a proud Bigambul woman. The Bigambul people are the Traditional Owners of the land where she works, and Shell QGC operates with respect to this connection to Country.

This relationship between Traditional Owners and industry employers reflects the kind of meaningful partnerships that MIGAS's Reconciliation Action Plan seeks to foster – creating employment pathways that honour cultural heritage while building sustainable careers.

Ruby's journey represents the tangible outcomes that emerge when organisations commit to working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, creating opportunities that enable First Nations peoples to thrive in their chosen fields while maintaining connection to their lands and culture.

Advice for Future Apprentices

For young people considering an apprenticeship but feeling uncertain, Ruby's advice is simple:

"Just do it. I was a bit unsure myself, and I thought, you know, what's the worst that can happen? And I just bit the bullet and did it."

She sees apprenticeships as a valuable alternative to the traditional school-to-university pathway.

"It's a good opportunity. It's a good way to put your foot in the door to an industry and get that experience and knowledge," Ruby says.

Looking ahead, Ruby's goals are grounded and practical: finish her first year as a qualified tradesperson and continue gaining more experience. She's already achieved one major goal – securing ongoing employment with Shell after completing her apprenticeship.

Building Experience, One Task at a Time

When asked about her proudest achievement, Ruby doesn't point to a single project. Instead, it's the accumulation of competence that matters most.

"For me, it's like those little things – the fact that I know what I'm doing. They can send me to a job, like a six-month service on one of the engines, and I can go and do that," she shares.

Ruby's story embodies this year's National Apprenticeship Week theme: "It's in the making".

From the moment she decided to take a chance on an apprenticeship, not knowing exactly where it would lead, to becoming a qualified mechanical fitter now training the next generation, Ruby has shown that success doesn't require having everything figured out from the start.

Skills, confidence, and careers are built through commitment, curiosity, and showing up every day ready to learn.

Every apprentice who completes their journey, like Ruby, strengthens not only their own future but also the future of Australia's skilled workforce.