From airport café to aviation leader: Meet Nikea McHugh
Nikea McHugh has gone from slinging coffees at the airport café to leading the Air bp Melbourne Airport operations team as they refuel aircrafts at Australia’s second busiest airport. She shares her journey in the aviation industry.
Nikea, to get started why don’t you tell us about yourself and share something we might not know about you?
Hi! I’m Nikea and I’ve been with bp for five years. In that time, I’ve worked my way from a role as a casual refueller to a supervisor at Brisbane Airport and now I lead air refuelling operations at Melbourne Airport. What might surprise people is that I have a double degree in criminal psychology… I’m actually writing a book about it at the moment! My interest stems from a difficult childhood and wanting to understand why people sometimes do the things that they do. I think that’s really helped me to put myself in others shoes.
That’s quite a step change from your current role, where did your passion for the aviation industry come from?
I worked in a café airport for 17 years before hitting the apron. One day an aircraft refueller came up to the counter and told me that I looked strong and that I could “handle the job”. I decided to give it a shot and followed up by joining the training program. As soon as I got my hands dirty and refueled a plane I fell in love with the job.
Can you tell us about how you gained the skills to take on this important role?
bp has a great program to upskill you. A mix of theory and practical training keeps you interested as you learn every aspect of the job, from PPE to understanding the mathematics behind how much fuel can go into the wings versus the center of the aircraft. Darren – our trainer in Brisbane – is phenomenal because he doesn’t just say we do it this way because the manual says so. He explains the why, how long it’s been done that way and the impact it has on safety.
I have loved the ever-changing pace over my time here. The progression from learning how to drive a truck to then learning how to drive it around massive aircraft, perfecting the timing of refuelling upwards of 15 planes a day and mastering the art of supervising a team, which means not only keeping an eye on your own 15 refueling but also everyone else’s flights, has been so fulfilling
What’s it been like working in an industry traditionally led by men?
What might have been more challenging than learning the physical skills and theory, was coming from hospitality – where it was 90% women – to a male dominated industry. It was shell-shocking. There was an adjustment period, where some team members would jest that “the coffee girl was on the floor” but my manager, Kristian, was incredibly supportive. He would often pop into the truck to check in on me, making sure that I felt comfortable.
Fast forward, the team became like ‘big brothers’ and are striving towards a 50/50 gender balance. In fact, a year after I joined Air bp, I worked with Kristian on how to write an advertisement for refueller roles that would be more appealing for women and we offered a trial, called a ‘drive day’, so they could get a better sense of the role.
Kristian supported my dreams of becoming a supervisor even when I was brand new, he kept reminding me “the only thing standing between you and the supervisor position is time”, so I just had to be patient. He made me feel valued as a person and as a refueller. I want to be the kind of manager for my team that he was for me.
What is the highlight of your career so far?
Being entrusted with the responsibility of leading Melbourne’s amazing team of operators! I’ve had many jobs, but none will compare to Air Refuel. Being inspired and empowered to refuel aircrafts in general is amazing, but as a woman coming in and conquering a male dominated industry; there are just no words.
What is one thing that people can do to create more inclusive workplaces?
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Give people a chance to prove themselves, they can really surprise you. My advice to women working in a male dominated industry like aviation is to stick with it. I’ve definitely had my fair share of bad days, but this is the best job I’ve ever had in my life, and it gets better every day. It’s so empowering. I’ve seen first-hand how having an open-door policy, opening up the conversation to understand how we can be more inclusive and putting yourself in other people’s shoes can have a huge impact.