The Indigenous Employment and Retention Award recognises an organisation that has implemented a training and/or employment initiative resulting in the successful engagement of Indigenous Australians within their workforces.
Fortescue developed the Trade Up program in an effort to increase the proportion of Aboriginal tradespeople employed company-wide from 6% in 2015 to 20% by 2022. Developed within just four months, the program has provided Aboriginal employees a pathway to an apprenticeship since October 2015.
Although still in its first year, the program has quickly gained traction. Of the initial 26 trainees, at least 10 have already competed their traineeship and are moving into the apprenticeship program. The judges agreed this is an impressive result given the implementation time, and they are confident the program will grow in success.