Murray Wood: Social media exposes racists all around us
Murray Wood says he's constantly surprised by how many people are openly expressing racist views on social media. If you...
The future of mining doesn’t arrive all at once.
It arrives in conversations, in opportunities and in leaders willing to see potential before someone sees it in themselves.
For Courtney Rohachuk, the path into a mine began with a question.
She said the possibility of entering the field wasn’t on her radar at all until a Grade 12 physics teacher stopped her one day and asked, “Hey, have you ever thought about being an engineer?”
Read more Saskatchewan Stories from Brittany Caffet:
- On your marks, get set, mow! Lawn mower racing taking off in rural Saskatchewan
- The surprising Saskatchewan origin of Girl Guide cookies
- Biggar: The Saskatchewan town that bet big on itself – and won
The question was simple, but the impact was profound.
Nearly two decades later, Rohachuk is the manager of Nutrien‘s Pilot Plant in Saskatoon, where new mining and processing technologies are tested and refined before being rolled out at the company’s potash mines across Saskatchewan. She has built a career in one of Saskatchewan’s most important industries, helping drive innovation while mentoring others.
Courtney Rohachuk manages Nutrien’s Pilot Plant in Saskatoon, where new mining and processing technologies are tested and refined before being rolled out at the company’s potash mines across Saskatchewan. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
But Rohachuk’s story is about more than personal success. It shows what becomes possible when women enter spaces where they have historically been underrepresented, and what happens when they stay.
“It was a little overwhelming,” Rohachuk recalled of her first time entering a potash mine. “They’re big. They’re loud. I’m somebody who I don’t have a good sense of direction innately, and so that was always a challenge.”
Listen to the story on Behind the Headlines:
Rohachuk said remembers all the people who stepped in and made sure she didn’t have to figure it out alone.
“Had it not been for my leader at the time, and my colleagues who really took me under their wings, I probably would have left the industry early on,” she said.
Today, returning to a mine site feels entirely different. Even the scent of potash ore and brine now carries a sense of familiarity.
“It smells like home,” she said with a smile.
Courtney Rohachuk said her first time entering a potash mine felt overwhelming. But now? “It smells like home,” she said. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
That sense of belonging carries added significance when Rohachuk reflects on how few women were working in operational roles when she entered the industry.
“When I started, there weren’t many females in operations. I might have been the only one in operations,” she recalled. “I look now, and what a difference. A lot has changed in the last 19 years, and it’s really cool to see.”
That change is visible in Rohachuk’s workplace today. Many of the people on her team are women, and she regularly sees female students come through the facility for training and exposure to the industry. For her, it’s a clear sign of how far things have come, and how much further they can still go.
She speaks with gratitude about leaders and coworkers who encouraged her to be herself at work rather than conforming to narrow expectations of what someone in mining should look or sound like, but she is also honest that her experience wasn’t always consistent.
“I got the ‘You’re too sensitive, you need to harden up,’” she said.
These days, Courtney Rohachuk is far from the only woman on the job site. She oversees many female coworkers and students just getting into the industry. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
For years, mining often rewarded a narrow definition of leadership built around toughness. Women entering that environment were expected to adapt to that culture, rather than influence it. But over time, Rohachuk said she came to see her perceived sensitivity in a new light.
“It’s almost an honour to have people say that,” she said. “Because you bring a different aspect and a different quality.”
Industries, she believes, are strongest when they are not shaped by a single way of thinking, but by a range of perspectives that challenge and improve one another.
That lesson has become even more important as mining continues to evolve.
For much of her early career, Rohachuk said she imagined she would remain in a purely technical path, building expertise as an engineer. Instead, leadership found her. Today, she describes her role at Nutrien’s Pilot Plant as “the best of both worlds,” as it allows her to stay close to the technical side of the business while also focusing on the people who make that work possible.
“Knowing how much power leaders have, not on people’s work lives, but their whole lives, that’s really what drives my passion for leadership,” she said.
Courtney Rohachuk said mining has more to offer than many people realize, with opportunities ranging from the trades to engineering, technology and research. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
That perspective is rooted in Rohachuk’s own journey.
She remembers what it felt like to be new, to walk into unfamiliar environments, to question whether she belonged and to rely on those who were willing to teach and support her along the way.
Now, nearly two decades into her career, she is intentional about creating that same experience for other women.
“It’s really cool to see the change that’s happened in 19 years,” Rohachuk said. “We still have a long ways to go, but man, it feels incredible to give back to my colleagues and the students and make sure it’s a different place for them.”
For young women considering their future, Rohachuk’s message is simple: don’t close the door before you’ve had a chance to see what’s inside.
Opportunities for women in the industry are there, and they are growing.
The future of mining depends on innovation, technology and expertise. But it also depends on people like Rohachuk — leaders who understand that opening doors is just as important as walking through them.
Courtney Rohachuk was once told to “harden up” in the male-dominated potash industry. Nineteen years later at Nutrien, she’s helping change what leadership in mining looks like. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
