building a strong Future, together - OneSteel

Indigenous EngagementWhen OneSteel Whyalla’s General ManagerHuman Resources Alan Tidswell speaks of howthe company has approached the recruitmentof local indigenous people, he talks of acommunity partnership approach.Alan believes that the Goal 100 program hasmade a difference to the company’s employmentstrategy in this area. In 2006, OneSteel wasstruggling to employ local people as operatorsand was ready to recruit from Adelaide.The opportunity to develop and becomeinvolved in Goal 100 – in partnership with theState Government SA Works Program andWEDB – has broadened the local workforce pooland increased the number of Aboriginal peopleready for employment in the mining and heavyengineering industry.Of the 26 people who completed the Get Setprogram (see pg 26) in Port Augusta in 2007,14 are indigenous. This includes threeapprentices who have been employed at theWhyalla site and nine who have taken upschool-based apprenticeships.While the 2007 version of Get Set struggledto attract enough participants to fill the 50positions available, there was no such problemwith the 2008 version. To date, there are 88youth registered to get onto the programincluding 46 indigenous youth.So why the turn around?“The youth have seen this as a reality followingthe successful completion of the first Get Setprogram and also the Goal 100 programs.”Goal 100 is a 20-week scheme designed toattract and accommodate the needs of thelong-term unemployed – preparing them forwork in the mining and heavy engineeringsectors. It has been described as a partnershipapproach involving industry, job networks andtraining providers, with the locally-based UniSAand TAFE SA campuses providing the venue.“I attribute its success to the fact that it doesnot just focus on skills development needed forthe mining and heavy engineering industry,”Alan said. “It also addresses the participants’past experiences, which can be quite farreaching;their self belief and confidence; theirattitude to work; and the things that havestopped them getting and holding a job.”This is done initially through a five-day ‘I MakeA Difference’ program, as well as other half-dayand full-day courses plus regular one-on-onesessions with each participant.OneSteel has traditionally been, and continues tobe, the major employer in Whyalla. We have a wellestablishedmining and heavy engineering activityin the area and, as a consequence, we believe itis important to work with the local community.This includes the indigenous community which,according to the ABS 2006 Census, comprises3.8% of the Whyalla population.protect the Barngarla sites, maintain culturalexchange trips and administer scholarships.OneSteel is currently seeking to develop acontract with Walga Mining – an indigenousmining company – with the hope of the contractleading to employment for 25 people (includingabout 15 indigenous people).At the State level, OneSteel has shown itscommitment to the development of youngindigenous professionals by sponsoringstudents as part of the Law Society’sIndigenous Law Students Mentoring Program.This successful initiative started in 2006,and supports a growing number of indigenouspeople as they study law and make thetransition to legal practice.“OneSteel will continue to promote theemployment of indigenous people at its Whyallasite going forward,” Alan said. “I believe themore indigenous people employed at the site,the more comfortable others will be to take upthe employment opportunities that are available.“We hope the contract with Walga Mining willgrow and develop and in-turn provide increasedemployment opportunities for members of theindigenous community.“Ideally this will include the indigenousapprentices we have employed as part of theGoal 100 and Get Set programs, and will seethem develop exciting and worthwhile careersin the mining and heavy industry sectors.”“It’s because there are guaranteed jobsavailable at the end of the program, ratherthan just promises,” Alan said.OneSteel regularly works with the WhyallinaAboriginal Heritage Corporation Inc, whosemain objectives are to preserve heritage,OneSteel apprentice Sam Poes is setting an examplefor young women and indigenous people who neverconsidered an apprenticeship as an option.23