Breaking barriers, embracing challenges
Growing up, Eunice Rodriguez listened to her grandfather’s stories about life in mining. Today, as a service technician at Sandvik in Mexico, she is building a story of her own – embracing new technologies, developing her skills and inspiring other women to pursue careers in mining.
The first time Eunice Rodriguez realized she had truly become a service technician wasn’t her first day at a mine or the first time she worked on a piece of equipment.
I felt that I had really become a service technician when a failure no longer made me afraid of the challenge
“I felt that I had really become a service technician when a failure no longer made me afraid of the challenge,” she says. “I had started to understand the logic of the equipment and knew where to look for the problem.”
One piece of advice she received early in her career has stayed with her: don’t be afraid to ask questions.
“One of my first mentors told me that being embarrassed or afraid to ask questions would not make me a good technician,” she says. “Asking questions doesn’t show ignorance. It shows a strong desire to learn and to do things right.”
For Rodriguez, doing things right also means putting safety first. Before any maintenance work begins, it is essential to check the conditions, follow safety procedures and make sure the team can carry out the job safely. At the end of the day, the priority is that everyone returns home safely.
A connection to mining that started early
Eunice Rodriguez’s relationship with mining began long before she entered a mine herself.
Her grandfather spent much of his working life in the industry and would tell her and her cousins stories about mining processes, the challenges of working underground and the passion he had for his work.
Those stories sparked her curiosity.
Although she studied Industrial Maintenance, Rodriguez eventually decided to pursue a career in mining. Her journey with Sandvik began at a job fair, where she first learned about the company and saw an opportunity to develop professionally.
Four years after joining through the Technical Development Program, she now works as a service technician in Mexico, servicing equipment that plays an important role in customers’ mining operations.
When Rodriguez entered a mine for the first time, however, she discovered an environment that was very different from what she had imagined.
“What surprised me most was the level of technology, from the processes to the facilities,” she says. “Underground there are well-equipped workshops, offices and even internet access in much of the mine.”
A changing role
Being a modern service technician means much more than traditional mechanical work.
“School prepares you well for traditional mechanics, but advanced software, automation systems and electronic diagnostics are turning the modern technician into a high-tech specialist, not just someone who works with hand tools,” she says.
She has seen that transformation firsthand through technologies such as the AutoMine® automation platform, which enables mining equipment to be operated remotely or autonomously.
Digital solutions are also changing maintenance. Equipment data can help identify changes in performance and enable maintenance to be planned before problems lead to unplanned downtime.
For Rodriguez, these technologies provide new ways to understand equipment, improve diagnostics and help customers maximize equipment availability.
While technology is transforming her profession, Rodriguez has discovered that her work can make a difference in another way – by inspiring other women to pursue careers in mining.
Opening the way
Some of Rodriguez’s proudest moments have been when other women at the mine have approached her to talk about her work.
“They get excited when they see that a woman can work in this area,” she says. “It makes me proud to know that my work can inspire other women and make them consider a career in mining.”
It makes me proud to know that my work can inspire other women and make them consider a career in mining.
Those encounters made her realize that doing her job could have an impact beyond the equipment she works on.
For her, earning trust in a maintenance environment means demonstrating through actions, technical knowledge and consistency that professional capability does not depend on gender.
“It means breaking stereotypes in an environment that has historically been male-dominated and building genuine respect through the work you do every day,” she says.
Outside mining, Rodriguez has an interest in modeling and has participated in runway shows and events. She also enjoys exercising, spending time with her family and being with her pet.
Ready for what comes next
Looking five years ahead, Eunice Rodriguez wants to continue developing her technical skills and develop the skills to diagnose and resolve increasingly complex equipment failures.
But there is another impact she hopes to leave behind.
She would like to be remembered as someone who helped break barriers and opened the way for future generations of women in mining.
Years ago, her grandfather’s stories inspired her to pursue a career in mining. Today, Rodriguez is building her own future in an increasingly digital and automated industry – and hopes to inspire a new generation of women to follow in her footsteps.
