INDIGENOUS people are taking hold of new training opportunities, and finding firm footing in industries such as maintenance.
Under traditional Commonwealth schemes, indigenous people would work for 20 hours a week in their communities, and get Centrelink payments in return.
July saw the first 20 indigenous trainees from the remote communities of the East Pilbara start work at Newcrest’s Telfer gold mining facility.
They completed 24 weeks of training, complete with lessons in health and nutrition, finances and relationship skills. According to the organisers, this approach took into account the major changes the work program would have on their lives.
Some of these trainees found jobs as trade assistants in the company’s engineering and maintenance department, where they work from 6am to 6pm for nine days, followed by five days off.
The maintenance work includes welding, repairing machinery, and practising to obtain tickets to drive a forklift and bobcat.
Many of the trainees took on the work because they were bored of the predominantly odd-job duties they were doing in their community.
The opportunity came about because of a partnership between JobFutures and Newcrest, which is keen to employ more local Aboriginal workers.

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