08 May 2015

Meet ERA's 2015 intake of new trainees and school-based apprentices.

The new recruits include Jasmine Taylor and Elizabeth Miller, ERA's first Indigenous female Plant Operations trainees, as well as Keleasha Ogden, ERA's first local Indigenous female Community Relations trainee.

Kaleasha's family is from Croker Island, and she graduated from year 12 at West Arnhem College in Gunbalanya in 2014.

"I've worked in an office before and my dad worked at ERA for nine years. I'm really looking forward to working with the community," Keleasha said.

School-based apprentice James Orum, a Year 11 student from the Jabiru Area School, is the fifth generation in his family to work in the mining industry - but unlike those before him, James is the first to work in the Light Vehicle Workshop.

With just a few weeks under their belts at the Ranger mine, the new members of the ERA team are busy learning the ropes.

"I'm interested in working in the automotive field so this is a great opportunity for me to learn how to service vehicles," said James, who this month became ERA's 19th school-based apprentice since 2011.

ERA is a major employer in Jabiru and the West Arnhem region with a strong focus on Indigenous employment. At 31 December 2014, ERA had a total of 47 Indigenous employees, representing 12 per cent of employees.

"The trainees and school-based apprenticeships are an important part of ERA's commitment to build local community capacity and participation rates," Chief Executive Andrea Sutton said.

"We are also proud to support the Pre-Employment Program, along with local businesses and training providers, as this is helping identify potential employment needs among local businesses, and then assist local people develop the skills needed to get a job."

Jasmine and Elizabeth were among eight Indigenous women who participated in the Pre-employment Program late last year, four of whom have secured work already.

"The Pre-Employment Program was really good. I got new skills that helped me get this job, and I obtained a Certificate II in Resources and Infrastructure, a First Aid Certificate, a white card for construction work and we also got some healthy lifestyle training," Elizabeth said.

"I've never done anything like this before, it's really opened my mind about what happens in mining," Jasmine said.

Jasmine and Elizabeth already had an association with ERA. They were participants in the Pre-Employment Program last year, and were involved in the work to revegetate the former site of the Jabiluka Interim Water Management Pond. More than 8 000 seedlings have been planted to revegetate the site of the now dismantled pond.

Jabiru Area School Principal Learne Dunne said: "We're really grateful to firms like ERA. The school-based apprentice program gives young people a chance to work and train alongside experienced people in the workforce while achieving a Year 12 certificate at the same time."

Fast facts:

  • The school-based apprentice program is for 12 or 24 months, depending on whether the students are in Year 11 or 12. The accreditation received will depend on the department the apprentices work in. For example, James Orum is scheduled to complete a Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology.
  • The traineeships are for 12 months, and accreditation will depend on what department the trainees are employed in. For example, Keleasha Ogden will be studying a Certificate III in Business Administration.
  • ERA's typically has an intake apprentice and trainee positions each year.

About Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA)

Energy Resources of Australia Ltd is one of the nation's largest uranium producers and Australia's longest continually operating uranium mine.

ERA has an excellent track record of reliably supplying customers. Uranium has been mined at Ranger for three decades. Ranger mine is one of only three mines in the world to produce in excess of 110,000 tonnes of uranium oxide.

ERA's Ranger mine is located eight kilometres east of Jabiru and 260 kilometres east of Darwin, located in Australia's Northern Territory.

ERA is a major employer in the Northern Territory and the Alligator Rivers Region.

Located on the 79 square kilometre Ranger Project Area, Ranger mine is surrounded by, but separate from, the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park.

For further information, please contact:

Media Relations

Elena Leslie

Office: +61 (0) 8 8924 3515

Mobile: +61 (0) 447 710 108

Email: VA-Elena.Leslie@riotinto.com

Investor Relations

Rachel Storrs

Office: +61 (0) 3 9283 3628

Mobile: +61 (0) 417 401 018

Email:rachel.storrs@riotinto.com

Twitter: Follow @ERARangerMine on Twitter



ERA creates firsts with local training opportunities [PDF: 372 KB]

distributed by