January 16, 2013
Ten job seekers from the seasonally-isolated town of Urapunga, Northern Territory, have built a local work shed as part of a certified construction course provided by Jobfind Centres Australia along with Batchelor and Yugul Mangi Shire.
The construction program was the first to be delivered to the Indigenous community of Urapunga, as the town is inaccessible during the wet season.
It caused an excited buzz around town, especially after word got out that the course would involve a new building going up– a rare occassion for the township.
Twenty job seekers jumped at the chance to be involved in the construction course, with hopes to develop a new set of skills and help build the work shed which was to later be used by the trainees.
Before getting their hands dirty, the eager participants learnt about general worksite and construction procedures and received training in using building tools and equipment.
They then undertook the task of constructing the work shed, getting invaluable work experience from levelling out the ground, dismantling and erecting formwork and concreting floors in preparation for the shed.
The shed, which was completed in December, has since been used by the trainees for projects and has also become a community hub where the locals hold meetings.
After completing their training and the shed, ten of the participants proudly obtained a Certificate II in Construction while also gaining a sense of achievement and confidence in their abilities.
The completion of their training is a “great outcome for these participants, as it has given them skills to look for future employment and to be considered by local employers for the mining projects in and around Ngukurr,” said Northern Territory General Manager, Catherine Ritchie.
