This month, we are launching a new blog and social media series titled “Meet Your Miners” to introduce our readers to some of the wonderful people who fuel this unique industry throughout Nevada. Our hope is to uncover some great stories to share with all of you in the coming months, and we look forward to showcasing our amazing miners.

While the mining industry has broadened in recent years, it is still commonly thought of as an “old boys club.” Modern mining, however, has been rapidly working to throw that notion to the wayside. Since the 1970s, the number of positions held by women in mining has increased more than 20 percent. Women such as Autumn Johansen, Newmont Mining Corporation’s Instrumentation Tech I, have entered the mining industry for new opportunities and career advancement.

Johansen has worked for Newmont Mining Corporation for more than two years. Before joining Newmont, Johansen owned a dance studio that closed due to the unfortunate turn in economy. As a single mother of three children, she needed to ensure her career provided for her family. This need is what led her to mining, where the salaries are the highest average annual wages in the state and full-time employees receive tremendous health benefits for them and their families.

When Johansen came across Newmont Mining Corporation, she was presented with an opportunity to hold a stable career that also offered room for growth. By her own admission, she is constantly challenged and loves the security of knowing she has entered a compelling career field. While her background is not in instrumentation, Newmont’s scholarship program opened the doors for her to gain the education and expertise needed to excel, and she also wants other women to know what a great career mining provides.

“I’d like to be someone who other women can look to for encouragement when it comes to bettering their family’s financial situation,” she said. “I often do get questioned about how I handle working at a gold mine in a male dominated industry. I explain that I work with professional people who possess a strong desire to work safely because they also have families they want to go home to.”