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Fortescue provides employment opportunities for Aboriginal prisoners PERTH, 21 NOVEMBER 2014: Fortescue Metals Group will today sign a landmark agreement with the Western Australian Department of Corrective Services to provide employment opportunities for Aboriginal prisoners.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Fortescue Chairman Andrew Forrest and WA's Commissioner of Corrective Services James McMahon, low- risk Aboriginal prisoners at Roebourne Prison in the state's north-west will be guaranteed a full-time job after completing vocational training courses that they start while in prison.
The VTEC Fresh Start program is an extension of Fortescue's successful Vocational Training and Employment Centres (VTEC), which provide guaranteed employment for Aboriginal people with Fortescue or its contracting partners, as well as the training and support to succeed in the job.
Under VTEC Fresh Start, Fortescue will provide a training course for prisoners at Roebourne TAFE via a day release scheme. After successfully completing the course and upon release, the students enter a two week, site-based training program and they will be guaranteed a job on graduation.
Fortescue Chief Executive Officer Nev Power said the program was another example of Fortescue's commitment to ending Aboriginal disparity. "At Fortescue we are proud to create opportunities for Aboriginal people by offering a hand up and not a hand out. The VTEC Fresh Start program will empower more Aboriginal people to take control of their lives because being employed brings independence, stability and self-belief," Mr Power said.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited ABN 57 002 594 872 ACN 002 594 872 ADDRESS Level 2, 87 Adelaide Terrace, East Perth, Western Australia 6004TEL +61 8 6218 8888 FAX +61 8 6218 8880 EMAIL fmgl@fmgl.com.au

Since its inception in 2006, VTEC has helped more than 1500 Aboriginal people in the communities in which Fortescue operates through training, support and employment. Fortescue employs 1100 Aboriginal people across its operations, which is 12 per cent
of its workforce.

Media Contact:

Byron Vale
Mobile: 0415 566 976

Email: bvale@fmgl.com.au

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