Making a difference in Dalby

By Renee Ferenc, Marketing and Communications Manager at BUSY At Work on 02 Aug 12

First-stage apprentice boilermaker Matthew Brandt is among the first of potentially hundreds of young people to benefit from QGC’s Strengthening Local Workforces program over the next three years.

Launched in February this year, QGC is a partner with BUSY At Work to match apprentices and trainees with businesses outside the coal seam gas industry in regional Queensland, and provide support, mentoring and coaching to help boost retention and completion rates.

Matthew is one of two Certificate III engineering apprentices at Dingo Mini Diggers in Dalby who has been placed through the program.

Having started his apprenticeship earlier this year, Matthew is doing well.

Dingo Australia’s Steel Shed Manager Mark Blinco said he showed good initiative and was keen to learn.

“Matt learns quickly, is easy to train and is very punctual,” Mark said.

The program supports the trainees and apprentices, and local business owners.

Amanda Davis is the Strengthening Local Workforces support officer for the Western Downs and has been working closely with Dingo Mini Digger’sstaff development and training coordinator, Helen Briggs.

“There aren’t any guarantees of staff retention in the face of the strong labour demands associated with regional mining, but as an employer, we see this support program as an opportunity to ‘value add’ to what we are already providing to our apprentices,” Helen said.

“Amanda is now a regular visitor to our facility and we view her involvement as providing individual support and mentoring that supplements the technical learning of our apprentices.”

Helen and Amanda are working closely to shape life skills training being planned for each apprentice.

The scope of the training will go beyond the technical world in the factory and will feed into their personal skills and abilities and provide opportunities for the young men to develop their communication, decision-making and self-management skills.

For further information on the program visit www.busyatwork.com.au/qgc or call 132 879.