INDIGENOUS jobseekers will benefit from the launch of the new AREEA Skills Connect program in Perth this week, designed to get more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians into mining employment.
In partnership with a number of industry employers as well as alliance associate Access Working Careers (AWC), AREEA Skills Connect is closing the gap on employment opportunities for Indigenous jobseekers eager to become a part of Australia’s thriving resource culture.
As part of the program, a class of 10 candidates will commence the journey toward becoming security officers on mine and camp sites with training funded by Access Working Careers under the federal government’s Indigenous Employment Program.
The four-week training course includes the completion of a Certificate II in Security Operations, Crowd Control and First Aid as prerequisites in obtaining a security licence to be sponsored by AREEA Skills Connect.
AREEA Skills Connect project manager Kim Hetherington says the Indigenous Program is an important step in raising Indigenous representation across the Australian workforce.
“The rapid advancement of Western Australia’s mining, oil and gas activities continues to present great challenges for employers across labour mobility, skills demand and recruiting from a diverse and locally-based talent pool,” Ms Hetherington says.
“Facilitating greater employment outcomes for Indigenous Australians in this region not only delivers on our industry’s community responsibilities, but helps employers overcome some of these skills challenges.
“Recognising Indigenous Australians as an important source of skills and labour, the AWC and AREEA Skills Connect have teamed up to provide the pathways for more Indigenous Australians to become valuable members of the resource industry workforce.”
The AREEA Skills Connect team will present a seminar to the class of 10 in Perth this Friday, 11 October, to share insights and information about the application process, common mining lifestyles and what to expect on-site.
Indigenous jobseekers will also receive a copy of the AREEA Skills Connect Jobseeker Guide, exploring a variety of career pathways across the mining, oil and gas sectors.
