Day in the Life: Mackenzi “Mac” Mitchell, Indigenous Engagement Advisor and Sales Representative, Stream-Flo Industries Ltd.
As Mackenzi Mitchell—Mac, as she’s known to most—discusses her career, she gives off the same level of energy as the industry that employs her. Mac began her career in the oil and gas sector at 18 years old and never looked back.
Today, she works for Stream-Flo Industries Ltd., a Canadian-owned manufacturing company specializing in wellhead equipment and valves that provide services such as field maintenance and installation, reconditioning, and customer property management. Never one to stand still – she likes to get her steps in – Mac keeps busy bearing two workloads for the company as a sales representative and Indigenous engagement advisor.
“I started in the oil and gas, I guess, in the energy industry at a really young age,” she says. “My family was very focused on energy growing up, so I was lucky enough to be exposed to what energy is, and I saw my passion was there.”
Office towers
Mac considered entering university after high school, but intrigued by life in the downtown Calgary office towers, chose a road less travelled. When Nabors Canada offered her a job as an administrative assistant, she jumped at the opportunity, and it wasn’t long before she found herself in the demanding position of the main reception desk.
“That was back before cell phones and emails were the main source of communication, so I was actually interacting with a lot of the divisions and hand-delivering mail, talking to people, doing all the small little jobs that people didn’t want to do and just learning,” she says. “I was a sponge; I took in everything I possibly could and that’s the foundation of where my career path went.”
Eventually, Mac decided if she wanted to thrive in the oil and gas sector, she had to learn about what was happening outside of Calgary’s corporate buildings. She accepted a job with a small service company that gave her the opportunity to work around drilling rigs, well completion sites, power plants and other oil and gas sites.
“I went from Fort St. John (BC) all the way down to Milk River (AB) and embraced every moment that I possibly could and met many field operators,” Mac says. “That’s where I ran into Stream-Flo, and they kind of reeled me back into corporate Calgary.”
Hand in hand
Having roles in both sales and Indigenous relations might seem like a stark contrast. However, Mac sees the two positions as working “hand in hand.”
“I’ve got producers, the service companies, and Indigenous communities and I’m able to work with all three on a constant basis,” she says. “It’s nice to be able to know what the customers are doing but it’s also nice to have the involvement in the community to understand what we can provide to everyone.”
For Mac, the most important part of her role as an Indigenous engagement advisor involves visiting the communities and learning about their culture and traditions.
Mentoring
An important driver for her career has been mentoring, and she says working with strong leaders helped her make it to where she is in the energy industry today. Mac’s biggest mentor was her father, Terry Mitchell, whom she calls a pioneer for working with Indigenous communities her entire life.
“I’ve watched him break barriers down and jump hurdles, and he’s still going today, I don’t think he’ll ever stop. But he has definitely paved the path for myself and my brother, but also for others as well,” she says.
With mentorship playing such a big role in her life, Mac gives back both inside and outside the energy industry, including more than a decade mentoring the Calgary Stampede First Nations Princess program.
“I’m able to work with the ladies who evolve through this program and then look at a career path when they’re done their reign as princess and are figuring out what the next step is,” she says.
When it comes to people considering a career in the oil and gas industry, Mac encourages them to look for opportunities and put in the hard work.
“You have to get your feet on the ground, and you have to learn, and you have to embrace, and you have to adapt, and you have to be innovative and different,” she says. “But also take the time to learn…about the people you meet every day because you can be in the field and that person you meet could forever change your entire career.”
Company
Location
Calgary, Alberta
Salary, education and advancement may vary from company to company.
To learn more about working in oil and gas, visit oil and natural gas.
Find a role that’s right for you. Review available job opportunities.
