The Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) mines
managanese from a number of leases on Groote Eylandt,
an island off the coast of the Northern Territory which
is wholly owned by the Anindilyakwa Aboriginal people.
In response to concerns that increasingly stringent entry requirements in the
mining industry were acting as a barrier to local Aboriginal employment, GEMCO
and Charles Darwin University developed an Aboriginal Employment Strategy in
1996, combining employment with work-related training.
GEMCO training initiative
The Aboriginal Employment Strategy - a component
of the Employee Development Model for GEMCO Rehabilitation
and Mine Services - combines employment at the GEMCO operations
with training provided by Charles Darwin University.
Subjects range from literacy, numeracy, horticulture, mobile equipment, workplace
assessing and training,computer and office skills, to front line management
and are coordinated by Charles Darwin University lecturers. The training is
customised to meet the GEMCO employees'
training requirements, and all modules are nationally accredited. Employees'
wages rise incrementally as they progress through the course of study.
Environmental and Social Responsibility
Much of GEMCO's environmental rehabilitation work is carried
out by Rehabilitation and Mine Services (R&MS), which
is involved in various projects in and around the town
of Alyangula and the GEMCO mining lease. The coordination
of rehabilitation techniques for vegetation stripping,
topsoil conservation, provenance seed selection and spreading
has resulted in a successful rehabilitation program.
An Award Winning Partnership
GEMCO's strategy, delivered under formal contract with
Charles Darwin University, has won a Recognition Award
in Resources Development from the NT Department of Mines
and Energy. This award acknowledges innovations and best
practice within the mining and petroleum industry.
Founding Coordinator and Charles Darwin University lecturer,
Grant Burgoyne, said: "It is gratifying to receive recognition
for an innovative program that involves practical training
underpinned by literacy and numeracy training on the job.
With this strategy local [Aboriginal people] are not denied
meaningful long term employment, real jobs and real wages,
on the basis of their literacy levels."
According to GEMCO General Manager, Steve David, the partnership
between GEMCO and Charles Darwin University has produced
a highly skilled Aboriginal workforce, which is highly
valued by the company.
"The vision is that employees will have the option of forging a career path within
the company or taking their skills back to their community," he said.
Contact us
Enquiries about GEMCO training
should be directed to:
Grant Burgoyne
Phone: 08 8987 4310
Fax: 08 8987 4387
Email:
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