To mark 10 years of Fortescue's Leadership Empowerment for Aboriginal People (LEAP) program, each month we will spotlight our First Nations LEAP graduates who have since become leaders within our business. 

This month, we feature Melanie Condon, a proud Innawonga Traditional Owner from the Paraburdoo region of the Pilbara, working as a Mine Support Supervisor at our Cloudbreak operations. 

Melanie has been a dedicated member of the Fortescue family for more than a decade, first joining us as a dump truck operator in 2011. 

In 2020, she graduated from our LEAP program and said the leadership skills and mentoring in the program was second to none. 

“I had never had ambitions of being a supervisor until a leader told me that I showed great leadership skills when giving a talk to the VTEC students,” said Melanie. 

“It gave me the confidence in myself that was lacking and so when I was given the opportunity to join LEAP, I grasped that with both hands and have never looked back.” 

Since completing the program, Melanie stepped into her current supervisor role and has become an inspiring role model to her peers and community, notably so that she was awarded the NAIDOC Leadership Award in 2022. 

More on Melanie’s journey in her own words. 

Since finishing LEAP, what has your career journey looked like? 

Before joining LEAP, I was an operator of dump trucks, graders and loaders. My supervisor at the time was an incredible mentor and when I completed LEAP, my confidence went from strength to strength, and I stepped up into my current supervisor role here at Cloudbreak, which I absolutely love. I had no hesitation taking on the role, as both my supervisor and the LEAP program had set me up to succeed. I am currently studying for a Diploma in Surface Operations Management, that’s how much my confidence and belief in myself has grown. 

Since becoming a leader, what are some things you’ve learned about your leadership style? 

My leadership style has always been to lead by example and to mentor, encourage and support my team in being the best that they can be. I have a fantastic team, and I like to think that I bring out the best in each one of them. 

What advice would you give those taking part in our LEAP program?

 It is a fantastic program and I would encourage emerging leaders to apply. It will give you the confidence and skills to take the next step in your Fortescue journey and become a great leader. Be open to learning, never doubt yourself and your capabilities, LEAP will bring out the leader in you so don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers.