A NEW scholarship program is meeting the growing skills demand by providing locals with career opportunities in the resource industry.

The CCC Skills Connect Scholarship Program - a partnership between AMMA Skills Connect, Consolidated Contracting Company Australia (CCC) and XLT Trainers - is designed to train Australians with little or no experience to work in the LNG industry.

AMMA director member services Marie Henry said seven students are currently undertaking training with recruitment underway to bring more students on board.

"With the resource industry expected to create 90,000 new jobs by 2016, this scholarship program is a great example of how the industry is working collaboratively to meet skills shortages head-on," Ms Henry said.

"Armed with internationally recognised qualifications in metals and engineering, the first students will graduate this week and the target is to have fifteen students completed by the end of September."

CCC Australia Country Manager, Hassan Seoudi commented that this partnership will benefit Australians who want to up skill and get into the booming LNG sector.

"As part of an international group, CCC is committed to fulfilling its obligations toward the development of locals in the country they operate," Mr Hassan said.

"The graduates will be offered positions with CCC as trade/technical assistants and will go on to work at CCC project sites to further their skills and become experienced welders."

Each competitive scholarship is open to Australian citizens and provides financial support, mentoring and leadership development valued at $9,500.

Students are expected to attend all training, meet all safety requirements and make satisfactory progress through the course.

Training is delivered at XLT's Brisbane campus and once completed the students will work on pipeline construction from the Surat Basin to Gladstone for the Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural  Gas (APLNG) project in Queensland.

About AMMA Skills Connect

Through AMMA Skills Connect, AMMA brings together Australia's peak industry bodies and pre-eminent organisations in workforce related fields to provide member organisations a single point of service delivery for a range of workforce needs.

To find out more, please contact [email protected].