gindalbie, tafe team up for education

Gindalbie, TAFE team up for education
25-March-09 by Heather Bennett

The $1.8 billion Karara iron ore project has joined with Central West TAFE in Geraldton to launch a partnership for education, vocational training and skills development to bring new employment opportunities to the region.

The Mining Industry Skills Partnership Agreement between Gindalbie Metals subsidiary Karara Mining and Central West TAFE coincides with an emergency services training centre at the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute, which has been established by training and emergency services group Hostile Environment Services.

The launch, involving a mock vehicle crash fire fighting drill, was attended by Energy and Training Minister Peter Collier, Central West TAFE managing director Bert Beevers, Gindalbie managing director Garret Dixon, and Hostile Environment Services director Jonathon Silbert.

The Karara project, due to commence construction later in the year, is considered a major project for the region and expected to deliver employment and new opportunities to the Mid West.

With an expected mine life of more than 50 years, it will require a long-term direct work force of more than 500 skilled people as well as providing indirect employment for about 100. Construction of the project will generate 1500 jobs over 18 months.

Mr Dixon said the project had generated a need for vocational training and skills development in the region.

"This is our opportunity to leave a positive, lasting legacy through partnerships with local organisations and suppliers - and there is no organisation better placed to do this than Central West TAFE," he said.





Full announcement below:





One of the largest new mining projects in the Mid West region, the $1.8 billion Karara Iron Ore Project, has joined with the Central West TAFE for the official launch in Geraldton today of an innovative new partnership for the delivery of education, vocational training and skills solutions that could unlock substantial new employment opportunities across a range of industries within the region.

The Mining Industry Skills Partnership Agreement - embodied in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Geraldton today between Karara Mining Limited, a subsidiary of Australian iron ore group, Gindalbie Metals Limited, and Central West TAFE - coincides with the official opening of a new state-of-the-art emergency services training centre at the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute. The new facility has been established under a similar model by leading Australian training provider and emergency services support group, Hostile Environment Services (HES).

The launch - which included a spectacular mock vehicle crash fire fighting drill conducted by Hostile Environment Services - and MOU signing ceremony was attended by the Hon Peter Collier, Minister for Energy & Training, Mr Bert Beevers, Managing Director of Central West TAFE, Mr Garret Dixon, the Managing Director of Gindalbie Metals Limited and Mr Jonathon Silbert, Operations Director for Hostile Environment Services as well as many community representatives and local and State dignitaries.

The Karara Project, for which construction is scheduled to commence later this year, is a major new project for the Mid West region which is expected to deliver employment, new opportunities and expanding horizons to communities across the Mid West region. With an expected life of over 50 years, the Project will require a long-term direct work force of over 500 highly skilled people, as well as providing indirect employment of about 100. During its construction phase, the Project will employ over 1,500 people for an 18-month period commencing later this year.

Once in production, the Karara Project will generate annual export revenue of around $1 billion, with an annual project payroll of $50 million, a total project tax benefit (over an assumed project life of 40 years) of around $2.5 billion, and capital contributions to existing regional infrastructure of around $630 million.

"With the Karara Project having such a substantial footprint and positive impact in the region, we recognised very early on the need to support the crucial partnership between vocational training and skills development as part of our own project planning, and as part of our commitment to the future of this region," said Gindalbie's Managing Director, Mr Garret Dixon.

"This is our opportunity to leave a positive, lasting legacy through partnerships with local organisations and suppliers - and there is no organisation better placed to do this than Central West TAFE," he said.

Under the MOU signed today, Central West TAFE will act as managing delivery agent for the delivery of education, training and skills solutions that are focused on workforce development for the Karara Iron Ore Project, establishing a mechanism to create a long-term working partnership between Karara Mining Limited (a joint venture company operated by Gindalbie and joint venture partner, Ansteel) and the Central West TAFE.

"We are very pleased that this model has already resulted in other partnerships that will significantly enhance the capabilities available right here in the Mid West region - such as the one with Hostile Environment Services which has resulted in this high quality training facility being launched today," Mr Dixon added.

Hostile Environment Services, which is currently ranked as Australia's largest private rescue ambulance fleet operator and is a major provider of training, medical and emergency services support to the resources sector, was approached by Gindalbie in late 2008 to consider entering into a similar MOU with Central West TAFE for the provision of specialist training courses. Importantly, these highly specialised courses will be available locally to people in the Mid West region, rather than forcing people to travel to Perth to gain access to the kind of expertise being offered by HES.

"After entering into an MOU in December 2008, our management team visited Geraldton to hold further meetings and review possible locations for a Geraldton-based training facility," said HES Operations Director, Mr Jonathon Silbert.

"Since then, we have driven the project in conjunction with Central West TAFE with the intention of being in a position to commence training delivery at the beginning of the second quarter of 2009."

Hostile Environment Services commenced operations specialising in extreme environment entry, intervention, inspection, maintenance and repair, and now includes a specialised division for shutdown equipment and support. The company provides high quality medical, emergency services and training support and programmes to clients, and is a major provider of training and emergency services support to the resources sector.

HES has received extensive recognition from organisations both within Australia and Overseas, including a Gold Award from the Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention for their Safety Management System and operational performance and a special commendation with recognition for achieving seven years without a Lost Time Injury.

Hostile's clients include Shell Hague, Helix Corporation, Alcoa, PSN, Kellogg Brown & Root, Calibre, Government Utilities and major mining and resource houses, with approximately 17,000 people within Hostile's supported client base.

"The establishment of an emergency services training facility using the extensive expertise of Hostile Environment Services represents a major asset for vocational training in the Mid West region," Mr Dixon added. "Through the signing of this MOU between Karara Mining Limited and the Central West TAFE, our aim is to establish additional similar centres in the future to assist the Mid West region to become a new major centre for mining in Western Australia."