Working Together to increase FIFO opportunities

Written on the 13 December 2016 by Elaine Jolliffe

Ochre Workforce Solutions with the assistance of BCCI's Working Together recently gathered 40 local indigenous people to participate in a Skills Assessment Workshop at the Mangrove Hotel on Tuesday 29 November 2016, for the opportunity to enter the FIFO mining industry directly from Broome. 

A leading iron ore mining operation in the Pilbara, is offering up to 30 positions including entry level Dump Truck operators, Dozer operators and other additional operational positions starting in early January. 

BCCI's Working Together Liaison Officer, Elaine Jolliffe, said  with the current decline in available jobs locally in Broome, it was the perfect opportunity to get local indigenous men and women into the lucrative mining industry.  And with the opportunity to fly in and fly out directly from Broome, it means these people didn't have to relocate south to take part in the opportunity.

The participants of the workshop were gathered from local job service providers, and screened by Working Together and Ochre Workforce Solutions. Of the significantly high amount of candidates, a focus was on indigenous youth and women making up the bulk of the applications. 

The Skills Assessment Workshop consisted of numeracy and literacy testing, team building exercises and an interview with Human Resource officers.  From this, the mining corporation selected 15 successful Indigenous candidates.

Ochre Workforce Solutions were proud  to work alongside Elaine Jolliffe, Working Together Liaison Officer, BCCI in recruiting for roles for local Kimberley Indigenous individuals in the mining industry.

Elaine and Liz Bird, Senior Consultant at Ochre worked tirelessly in a campaign that was successful in securing roles for local Broome residents in a fairly short timeframe. The secured roles were for Entry Dump Truck Operators, which involves full training from the Pilbara-based Mining company.

Liz Bird from Ochre commented,  "For  individuals to be able to fly out of  Broome and not have to go via Perth  is a major step in ensuring Kimberley-based residents are not left out of FIFO opportunities or out of pocket".