Holden Supports Indigenous Apprenticeship Program

MELBOURNE – Azg 14, 2012: At an event held today at Holden Vehicles Operations (HVO) in Elizabeth, South Australia, Holden and Aboriginal Recruitment Training (ART) Employment announced the success of the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program with 12 Aboriginal job seekers completing training and joining the Holden workforce as Mechanical Fitter apprentices.

Speaking at the event was the Honourable Tom Kenyon, Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Science and Information Economy, Recreation and Sport.

“The State Government is proud to support this program and we will continue to provide funding and provisions for programs that benefit all South Australians. Our Skills For All reforms of vocational education and training aims to increase skill levels, lift workplace participation and increase productivity by offering training for existing workers and those trying to break into the workforce.”

Under the guidance of ART Employment, 23 job seekers underwent a training program including a seven week pre-employment training scheme. Eighteen participants went on to complete Stage Two of the 17-week accredited training program which resulted in them achieving a TAFE Certificate 1 in Engineering.

These 18 participants were interviewed by Holden, with 12 successful applicants. These applicants were then enrolled in a Certificate lll Apprenticeship in Engineering and secured a four-year employment contract with Holden which commenced on July 23.

The new apprentices have been placed in various shops across HVO, learning their trade of Mechanical Fitter under the watchful eyes of Holden’s experts.

Holden Executive Director Manufacturing, Richard Phillips, said Holden was extremely proud to be part of this program.

“This is a wonderful program and a great opportunity for the apprentices and we’re proud to support it. Holden has always prided itself on our ‘fair go’ mentality and giving these apprentices the means to learn a trade and build a career is fantastic. Working with ART Employment to achieve this outcome has been a rewarding experience and I’m looking forward to seeing these apprentices go on to rewarding careers”

ART Employment leads the process of identifying and then mentoring the apprentices throughout their training and placement program, with Managing Director Allan Jones saying:

“Seeing these job seekers secure an apprenticeship at Holden is a great achievement. They’ve worked hard to get here throughout the training program and we’re very proud. The opportunities for indigenous job seekers can be limited and we thank companies such as Holden for participating in these programs and I’d also thank our partners in the City of Playford and government funding bodies that have made this program possible," said Mr Jones.

"This project was made possible by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, under the Indigenous Employment Program. Without the help of State and Federal Government bodies and companies like Holden, opportunities like this simply wouldn’t exist.”

The Apprenticeship Program supports the Australian Government and their 'Closing the Gap' Strategy by offering real employment and career pathway outcomes for Aboriginal job seekers residing in the northern regions of Adelaide. The Holden Apprenticeship Program is part of the Aboriginal Employment Covenant that has been established to help Indigenous Australians into work.