OZ Minerals was proud to see several of its apprentices recognised by the Australian mining industry in the annual Australian Mining Prospect Awards held in Sydney on Wednesday 22 October. The awards aim to encourage, recognise and reward excellence in the industry – in which apprentices play a big role.
 
Apprenticeships offer, particularly Indigenous people, the opportunity to learn new skills in a structured program with qualified teachers, real life experience and recognised industry accreditation.
 
OZ Minerals is committed to its training programs, and this year at its Century mine in Queensland appointed a full time resource to coordinate the site’s apprenticeship and pre-employment training programs. The pre-employment training program at OZ Prominent Hill was also recognised this year as a finalist for Champion Employer of the Year in the National Employment Services Association awards.
 
OZ Minerals had several nominees in the Australian Mining Trainee or Apprentice of the Year category and is proud to announce that OZ Century apprentice Edmund Busch, a communications technician trainee, won the award. George Klembt, a plant operator at OZ Prominent Hill received a highly commended award and Sorren Owens, a light vehicle mechanic apprentice at OZ Century and Brett Miller, a technician at OZ Prominent Hill, were also finalists in the field.
 
OZ Minerals Chief Executive Officer Andrew Michelmore said the awards were a great recognition of the four trainees’ commitment to learn and dedication to succeed in ongoing employment.
 
“At our Century mine we have one of the highest rates of Indigenous employment in the country, around 20%, much of this a direct result of the pre-employment and apprentice programs we have run there since the mine’s start up over 10 year ago,” said Mr Michelmore.

“The pre-employment training program at Prominent Hill has had similar fantastic success with high rates of ongoing employment and retention at the training completion, and we hope to see similarly strong levels of Indigenous employment at this new site into the future.”
 
OZ Minerals was also runner up in Employer of Choice category for the Indigenous Employment Program at OZ Century and a finalist for the Community Partnership for its Surf ‘n’ Turf program – a life skills program run for Indigenous youth in the Gulf of Carpentaria – a joint venture between OZ Minerals, local pastoral holders and the Queensland Department of Sport & Recreation.