Shell Graduate Samantha Palmer with her mentor Elise-Anne Muir having a discussion

“Mentoring is a very fulfilling part of my job. It requires collaboration from both the mentor and the mentee, and requires trust, authenticity and a drive from both parties to maximise the benefits from our interactions and ultimately deliver better business outcomes.

“It revolves around developing and sustaining a working relationship with my Graduate mentee Samantha Palmer.
Mentoring enables us to develop as individuals, but also makes good business sense for Shell in terms of attracting and retaining talent and supporting ongoing professional development and career progression.

One of Shell’s greatest assets is its human capital, so supporting employees to deliver is crucial for success.”

Elise has worked for Shell since 2005. She is a Chemical engineer with an Msc Chem Eng and MCommerce from the University of New South Wales.

“I enjoy the diversity in my work”

Elise-Anne
From right - Shell Graduate Samantha Palmer with her mentor Elise-Anne Muir having a conversation at a park

Elise says her job title as Prelude’s Lifting Coordinator Manager can be confusing, as it is often mistaken for heavy lifting (cranes) as opposed to loading oil and gas onto ships. “I am responsible for planning and scheduling the loading of ships from the Prelude facility and ensuring that all joint venture participants receive their entitlements of LNG, LPG and Condensate.

“No two days are ever the same, which is exciting. Prelude is a flagship project for Shell, so I’m involved in setting up the business for success once we commence operations. This includes end-to-end (E2E) process testing and IT tool development as well as coaching and mentoring my team. There are regular meetings with representatives from our joint venture participants, writing and reviewing processes and procedures, training and so on.

I work regularly with a variety of functions and teams including Shell Prelude Operations, Marine, Commercial, Legal, Finance, IT as well as Prelude joint venture participants and stakeholders.

Like my mentee Sam, I enjoy the diversity in my work. My experience in Shell is that diversity spans across the board. There is diversity not only in the people we work with and where we are located, but also in the businesses we are involved in, the roles we take on and the opportunities we explore. At Shell there is always something new to learn, someone new to meet.”

Asked about Sam’s progress during the Graduate Programme, Elise said: “On a professional level Sam is highly motivated and extremely proactive. It has been fantastic to see her develop during her time on the graduate program, while delivering tangible results for the business, in particular for her role on Prelude.

“At a personal level, it has been rewarding to see Sam become more resilient and confident in her own abilities. Sam has developed the ability to challenge ideas and concepts.”

No two days are ever the same in this role

Elise-Anne

“I have been fortunate to work with many motivated, interesting and intelligent people who are also kind and caring. This has made such a difference to each working day and more broadly to my career in Shell.”

Each day Elise helps navigate the business in an increasingly energy-challenged world. “We need people willing to seize opportunities, thrive on challenges whilst delivering quality and timely results: people like Sam, who can and will contribute to the success of our Prelude FLNG Facility.

“I encourage tertiary students to think about energy as a career. To those looking for a fulfilling professional career and an exciting future in the oil and gas industry I say ‘think about Shell.” 

How a mentor makes a difference

How a mentor makes a difference

Discover how Samantha Palmer’s mentor experience as a graduate has shaped her attitude to her career and personal life.

Read Samantha’s story
Pay It Forward: Being a Mentor

Pay It Forward: Being a Mentor

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