A group of unemployed people from the Port Augusta region have been learning to operate major plant equipment, including excavators, front end loaders and skid steers, under an innovative employment training scheme run by Mission Australia.

Mission Australia’s first Plant Training program was set up specifically to provide skilled workers for the Mining, Construction and Earthmoving industries, in response to local employer demand and to assist unemployed and disadvantaged people in the region.

“The boom in mining, construction and earthmoving in the region is a great opportunity for people who have struggled for various reasons to find work,” says Emma Davies, Mission Australia’s Employment Services Manager in Port Augusta.

“But they need to be skilled up and the program’s designed to give them essential training to help them to fit into the workforce more quickly and effectively and to assist local businesses which are struggling to attract sufficient skills.”

The six participants in Mission Australia’s Plant Training program are set to ‘graduate’ on Friday (July 28) with qualifications in machine operations. They will then be assisted by Mission Australia’s Employment Services to find work, preferably with local employers who have suffered from the drain of skilled labour to mine sites in the north of the State.

Under the two week course conducted through the Civil Skills and Technology Centre, the participants learnt to operate excavators, front end loaders, skid steer loaders, and completed some key modules from the Extractive Industries Mining Package.

Their training also included:

• Construction Industry Common Safety Induction Course (Green Card)
• Fire Extinguisher Training
• Risks and hazards
• Communication in the Workplace
• Occupation Health and Safety Level (DAIS) Plant Training.

The participants are registered in Job Network with Mission Australia and the training has been incorporated as part of their plan to return to work.

“We want to ensure that we are able to offer skilled and trained workers to local employers, especially in the circumstances where their qualified staff have left to pursue career options on mining sites further north,” Ms Davies said.

“We will be looking to help place local trainees with work on mine sites, but our first priority will be to fill the needs of local employers.”

Funding for the project was sourced from South Australia Works within the Regions program, an initiative of the South Australian Government, and from the Federal Government’s Job Network.

Media please note:
Participants in the program are available for photographs on Wednesday and Thursday (July 26 and 27) as they operate equipment during onsite training.

To arrange or for information and interviews, please contact Emma Davies, Mission Australia, 0427 393 917