Malcolm Mauger

Perth born and bred and love all things Mining. VP Sales Area South East Asia. My tweets are all my own.

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

100%

[Keira Connolly @keira_con]

Wise words

“My name’s Frank. I’m 64, a retired electrician.
Forty-two years I spent running wires through houses, fixing breakers, making sure people had light in their kitchens and heat in their winters. Never once did anyone ask me where I went to college. Mostly, they just wanted to know if I could get the power back on before their ice cream melted.

Last May, I was at my granddaughter Emily’s school career day. You know the drill — doctors, lawyers, a software guy in a slick suit talking about “scaling startups.” I was the only one there with a tool belt and work boots.

When it was my turn, I told the kids, “I don’t have a degree. I’ve never sat in a lecture hall. But I’ve wired schools, hospitals, and your principal’s house. And when the hospital generator failed during a snowstorm in ’98, I was the one in the basement with a flashlight, keeping the lights on for newborn babies upstairs.”

The kids leaned forward. They had questions — real ones. “How do you fix stuff in the dark?” “Do you make a lot of money?” “Do you ever get zapped?” (Yes, once, and it’ll curl your hair.)

When the bell rang, one boy hung back. Small kid, freckles, hoodie too big for him. He mumbled, “My uncle’s a plumber. People laugh at him ’cause he didn’t finish high school. But… he’s the only one in the family who can fix anything.”

I looked that boy in the eye and said, “Kid, your uncle’s a hero. When your toilet overflows at midnight, Harvard ain’t sending anyone. A plumber is.”

Here’s the thing nobody told me when I was young — the world doesn’t run without tradespeople. You can have all the engineers you want, but if nobody builds the house, wires the power, or lays the pipes, those blueprints just sit in a drawer.

We’ve made it sound like trades are what you do if you can’t go to college, instead of a path you choose because you like working with your hands, solving problems, and seeing your work stand solid for decades.

Four years after high school, some kids walk away with diplomas. Others walk away with zero debt, a union card, and a skill they can take anywhere in the world. And guess what? When your furnace dies in January, it’s not the diploma that saves you.

A few weeks ago, that same freckled kid’s mom stopped me at the grocery store. She said, “You probably don’t remember, but you told my son trades are important. He’s shadowing his uncle this summer. First time I’ve seen him excited about anything in years.”

That’s the part we forget — for some kids, knowing their path is respected changes everything. It’s not about “just” fixing wires or pipes. It’s about pride. Purpose. The kind that sticks with you long after the job’s done.

So next time you meet a teenager, don’t just ask, “Where are you going to college?” Ask, “What’s your plan?” And if they say, “I’m learning to weld,” or “I’m starting an apprenticeship,” smile big and say, “That’s fantastic. We’re going to need you.”

Because we will. More than ever. And when the lights go out, you’ll be glad they showed up.”

[International Mining @im_mining]

Earlier this month, IM had the chance to visit Sandvik Mining's new >8,000 sq.m load and haul production facility in Malaysia. Find out what we learned while touring the SEK350 million hub 👉 | https://t.co/UnZiNKKbJG @Sandvik_Mining #Seremban #miningequipment

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@mattymikals Just love a revival session. Great episode!

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@fiagirly The Netflix show about him is really good. Would have been great to be following F1 in his era

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@GeoffHutchison GOLD! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@kristiebatten Great to see! 👋

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@fiagirly Thanks for your insights, passion and updates. Enjoy some well deserved time off 👊

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@CaroDiRusso I have trained my kids on the correct application. Not hard people! 😂

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@kristiebatten @MiningNewsNet Wishing you the best for your future and thanks for your positive contribution to our amazing industry. Enjoy the downtime 👊

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@AlexAtkins17 How many tears 😭 today?

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

Hi #f1live how does the sand on the track affect the air intake of the cars? Do they run an air cleaner? Will it affect the engine performance? #qatarf1

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@Paydirt_Media @diggersndealers Surely the more the better! 😉

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@CaroDiRusso So jealous right now! Enjoy the making and eating

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@LindsayBrennan That’s great. Pride is a great event!

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@kristiebatten @RoxResources Enjoy. I was there in 1995 when it was drive in drive out. Great memories. Lots of goats 🐐 for some reason!

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@AlexAtkins17 @waminingclub What a legend 👏🏻

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@USEmbAustralia Brilliant 👏🏻

[lulo | tvl spoilers @mishajackles]

the team talking about women being public exposed without their consent was so important !!! isaac, sam, jamie and dani have my heart forever

#tedlasso #tedlassospoilers

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

Amazing place! Loved it so much on our honeymoon we took our kids there

[Malcolm Mauger @MalcolmMauger]

@PerthBreakfast Loves his pet! 😂