Vocation summit lauded

Fortescue Metals Group executive director Andrew Forrest has lauded 300 new Pilbara Aboriginal employees leading the charge towards the 50 000 jobs initiative.

Celebrating the Summit 300 Aboriginal Employment last Tuesday at Fortescue's Vocational Training and Employment Centre at Pundulmurra TAFE, Mr Forrest said the 300 employees provided the critical mass of credibility in his call on corporate Australia to pledge jobs for Aboriginal people.

“You are champions that can show all of Australia that you don’t need welfare, when you are given a shot you will take it,” he said.

“We need the proof that that actually works and these VTEC graduates- members of summit 300- are that proof.”

Mr Forrest’s indigenous employment initiative last week surpassed its aim of 50,000 job commitments by July 1, with more than 270 Australian companies committing to the creation of 55,000 jobs.

So far 4,000 of the 50,000 promised jobs have been filled.

Mr Forrest spoke at the Port Hedland summit of the urgency of tacking the growing disparity for a people “buried with welfare”.

“(Welfare for the able bodied) slowly saps away the element of success which pumps in all of our hearts,” he said.

Advocating for “opportunity attached to responsibility”, Mr Forrest said it was what “really mattered”.

Plant operator Edward Dhu has worked at Fortescue’s Cloudbreak mine for two years.

He said since he’d decided to “get off my bum and take the opportunity” he couldn’t speak highly enough of the job.

“They’ll have a hard time getting rid of me because this is where I’m retiring,” he said.

Fortescue employee Kallan McGowan was one of nine local men employed around September last year.

“A lot of the boys I work with, we’ve all grown up together, and it’s the same for a lot of people on site, it’s almost like a little community out there.

“It’s a good vibe,”

The covenant today launched a training and skills policy matching training to jobs guaranteed.