East Kimberley Pathways sees Warmun job seekers celebrate Cert III graduation

Last Friday, 10 eager job-ready men took their final step towards a better future at Warmun’s East Kimberley Job Pathways.

Having just completed 13 tough weeks of training, the men graduated with a Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations, a course which makes them employable to a number of areas in civil construction.

John Bongiorno, the program’s Community Development Program Operations Manager, says he is incredibly proud of the graduates this year, who stuck at it despite the difficulties presented by COVID-19.

“It’s a long time, you know. It’s not just a two or three-week course. And then we took a break over COVID. So to be able to get through it is a pretty big thing,” he said.

The Djaringo training program, coordinated by East Kimberley Job Pathways, is designed to meet the needs of industry, while also providing employment for job searchers in the Kimberley region.

“We look at what the labour market wants and the labour market wants people working on roads and machinery operators,” said Mr Bongiorno.

Throughout their training, the participants were provided knowledge and practical skills in civil construction and mining works, learning a range of labouring skills such as how to operate machinery, use equipment and tools, read plans and take measurements.

Part of their training also includes mending roads in communities around the East Kimberley.

“They did potholes and they did some work on the road to the cemetery,” he said. “So that’s another part of it - in conjunction with the course, you’re doing work to help the community.”

Mr Bongiorno attributes the success of the program to the Djaringo trainers, who encouraged the students to keep at it.

“They’re Indigenous-owned and operated, so they have an Indigenous trainer which is always good when the majority of the students are Indigenous,” he said. “So I think that why we retained so many - I think it helps having that connection.

“During the course, we gave incentives to people for turning up - like vouchers and stuff for the local store - to encourage them to continue.”

The next course will run for 16 weeks and begins on June 20.