By Luke Voogt
An intern at Geelong’s refinery has won a national award for Indigenous university students.
Jack MacCauley was thrilled but surprised to receive the award at CareerTrackers’ recent gala dinner in Sydney.
“I knew what I was doing was important,” he said.
“But with 600 other interns from around Australia I didn’t really consider that I would have a chance.”
The 25-year-old won the Project Excellence Award for devising a bitumen test which vastly improved Viva Energy’s efficiency.
The project reduced bitumen analysis from two weeks to two hours and allowed the company to test products at the refinery rather than at an external laboratory.
“The test that I have devised is a lot quicker and inexpensive,” Jack said.
“The team that I’m working with are really friendly.”
CareerTrackers is a national non-profit organisation that creates internship opportunities for Indigenous university students.
Jack hoped his future career would make a different to the world.
“I like the idea of working for a refinery and reducing the emissions and impact it will have on the environment,” he said.
“There are some big steps we can take to making the industry greener.”
Jack, who is from Tasmania, is studying chemistry and geology at Monash University.
“I imagine both Monash and his home state will be extremely proud that a local has already made their mark in the business world,” refinery general manager Thys Heyns said.
