A guide to leading practice sustainable development in mining

The use of ‘selection centre workshops’ to recruit Indigenous employees has been
particularly successful at a number of sites. Typically, this involves short-listed
candidates attending a one-to-four-day residential workshop with other candidates.
Company people participate in the workshop and observe candidates as they
undertake classroom activities, practical outdoor and indoor exercises, site visits
and social activities. The skills being assessed include how effectively an applicant
can carry out practical tasks, solve problems, understand safety measures, work
interpersonally, understand and take instruction, and work in a team cooperatively.
Recruitment and retention strategies
Most Indigenous recruitment initiatives include work-readiness training, traineeships
and apprenticeships but all need to incorporate life skills training and mentoring as
major components. Life skills training:
reinforces work habits of attendance and punctuality.
helps trainees to manage family/work obligations.
may include providing assistance with personal financial management.
Experience has shown that if Aboriginal employees can remain in employment for
12 months their long-term retention potential improves dramatically. Strategies to
improve retention rates include:
family support mechanisms.
flexible work rosters.
career development opportunities.
addressing racism in the workplace.
Aboriginal customary obligations, such as attending frequent funerals, can usually be
accommodated within normal workplace practices and policies, such as bereavement
leave, holiday leave and leave without pay.
Successful Indigenous employment programs are comprehensive in scope and:
require contractors to meet the same employment
obligations as the client company.
offer cadetships and vacation employment for tertiary-enrolled
Indigenous students to encourage the development of Indigenous
employees as technical specialists and managers.
focus on employment strategies for Aboriginal women, who appear to
adapt particularly successfully to the demands of the mining workplace.
An example of an Indigenous recruitment strategy is Barrick Gold’s Cowal gold
mine. The Cowal Gold Mine is located 47 kilometres north-east of West Wyalong
in New South Wales. Barrick has entered into an agreement with a Native Title
Party representing the Wiradjuri people. As part of this agreement, the Wiradjuri
Condobolin Corporation (WCC) was formed. It is a group with which Barrick has
worked in partnership on a number of projects. In partnership with the Condobolin
TAFE, the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation and Barrick, an Introduction to Mining
A GUIDE TO LEADING PRACTICE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN MINING 73