OREANDA-NEWS. A new partnership between Rio Tinto’s Hail Creek Mine and the Mackay Engineering College will look to boost the local trade skill base in the Mackay region.

Representatives from each party gathered at the Mackay Engineering College campus yesterday to sign a two-year Memorandum of Understanding and celebrate the partnership.

Hail Creek Mine general manager operations Rowan Munro said “It is with great pleasure that Hail Creek Mine has formalised its long-standing relationship with the Mackay Engineering College.

“The Memorandum of Understanding builds on the success of several programmes Hail Creek Mine has with the Mackay Engineering College, now aligned under one robust partnership.

“We look forward to seeing how learning opportunities presented to students from today will evolve into a stronger local skills base for Mackay in the future.

“This partnership is just one way Hail Creek Mine continues to invest in building capacity and securing a sustainable employment future for the Mackay region.”

The partnership includes:

  • A \$10,000 sponsorship programme provided by Hail Creek Mine to enhance the safety, training or learning experience of Mackay Engineering College students and the functionality of teaching facilities for staff.
  • The ‘Tools for Schools’ programme where students build essential business skills to ready themselves for the workforce. This includes a site visit to Hail Creek Mine where students experience ‘a day in the life of a mining apprentice’ alongside industry professionals in a safe environment.
  • The development of an industry and professional experience programme to educate students about the career development process and encourage good workplace attributes and behaviours.
Head of Mackay Engineering College Frank Duthler said “The Mackay Engineering College and Hail Creek Mine partnership is a great development for the Mackay region.

“The partnership will provide many opportunities for students to show initiative, develop a technical and diversified skillset and adopt a mature workplace mind-set through access to a ‘real life’ work environment and industry personnel at Hail Creek Mine.

“We are proud to continue to create and sustain partnerships across the community to develop work- ready students and provide pathways for youth into manufacturing and engineering careers.”