8 August 2025

North West NSW local Kyah Valler completes traineeship at Whitehaven’s Narrabri Coal Operations

After a decade working as a baker and pastry chef, Kyah Valler has traded her apron for high-vis, completing a traineeship in Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) at Whitehaven’s Narrabri Coal Operations (NCO) CHPP.

Originally from Armidale, and now living in Gunnedah, Kyah’s journey into mining began with a casual role in the safety and training office at NCO. That opportunity sparked a deeper interest in WHS and motivated her to undertake a formal qualification.

“I didn’t initially plan on pursuing a full-time career in mining,” Kyah said.

“I began working casually in the safety and training office at NCO a few days a week, supporting the training department with administrative duties. However, I quickly found myself genuinely interested in the work, particularly in Work Health and Safety.

“I’ve always seen training and safety as closely connected, and the more I learned, the more I wanted to be involved. The traineeship felt like the perfect next step. It gave me the chance to turn that interest into something more structured and meaningful, with real opportunities to grow and contribute.”

Kyah commenced her traineeship at NCO in September 2024 attributing her background in training and assessing at TAFE to igniting her interest in safety.

“As a trainer and assessor, I’ve always been passionate about helping people build the skills they need to work safely and confidently. I believe that safety and training go hand in hand – when workers are properly trained, they’re more aware of risks, make better decisions and contribute to a stronger safety culture overall.

“That connection between education and real-world safety outcomes is what inspired me to pursue a qualification in WHS. I wanted to deepen my knowledge and be in a better position to make a meaningful impact in the workplace,” she added.

Having completed her Certificate IV in WHS this June, Kyah credits her team at CHPP for providing strong support throughout the process.

“Completing the Cert IV in WHS has been a positive experience for me. I’ve felt really supported throughout the course, which made learning both enjoyable and achievable. It has given me a much deeper understanding of how WHS legislation applies to the mining industry, and I have gained practical skills in risk management, incident investigation and implementing safety systems.

“The supervisors and coordinators at NCO have played a key role in supporting me throughout my learning journey. They’ve taken the time to explain processes clearly, share their knowledge, and guide me as I’ve applied what I’ve been learning in my studies.”

She says a highlight of her traineeship was putting theory into practice. “Being able to apply what I’ve learned and then seeing how that contributes to a safer, more informed workplace has been the most rewarding part.”

With her traineeship now complete, Kyah is focused on gaining more on-the-ground experience.

“My goal is to grow into a role where I can contribute to developing and improving safety systems to create a safer workplace for everyone.”

For young people considering a career in mining, her advice is clear:

“Mining and safety offer solid career paths with variety and there is a lot of support and training available if you are willing to learn. Don’t feel like you must know everything before you start, just be willing to learn and don’t be afraid to ask questions and gain as much knowledge as you can from the people around you.

“Give it a go. You never know where it might lead.”

Whitehaven’s traineeship program is part of our commitment to upskilling and investing in our people. This approach includes prioritising local hiring and creating pathways for local people to forge a purposeful long-term career in the mining industry.

For more information about Whitehaven’s traineeships and early-career programs, please visit: https://whitehavencoal.com.au/join/

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