Western Cape Koalafications grow building skills in Mapoon

Six Mapoon residents have graduated with construction qualifications, with several having already secured local jobs through a Queensland Government-funded training program.

 

The local trainees have now completed their six-month construction traineeships with Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council in our latest Skilling Queenslanders for work project. They were congratulated and awarded their formal Certificate 1 in construction by Member for Cook David Kempton earlier this month. However, it was not only their graduation that was being celebrated.

 

The group at graduation. L-R: COE Project Coordinator Rebecca Jane Smith, James Peter, Robert Savo, Michael Nolan, Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Ronaldo Guivarra, Member for Cook David Kempton MP, Dominic Sagigi Doolah, Georgeston Ling and Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council Executive Director Infrastructure Services Victor Mills.

 

Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council CEO Chad King said the project has not only helped their remote community with several projects the trainees worked on over the six months, but has also resulted in multiple ongoing roles in the remote community.

 

“Mayor Guivarra congratulated the big smiles of our trainees” Mr King said.

 

“It was really good to see State Government, local Government and the not-for-profit sector coming together to build local jobs capability and we are seeing that taking effect on the ground”

 

“Out of the six who have come through this project we have already found ongoing roles for two.”

 

Two more are also hopeful to hear about roles they have been able to apply for using their new skills and experience.

 

Georgeston Ling has been working as a Trades Assistant for Council in the weeks since the project wrapped, continuing with fencing and construction works around the community. However, he is now about to begin a new cabinetmaking apprenticeship right in his home community.

 

“I’m proud to have completed the projects for Council and learnt new skills” he said upon graduating.

 

“Now I’m working for Council and starting an apprenticeship to help with the new houses being built in Mapoon.”

 

Mr Kempton praised the project and said it was a great example of how the government projects should reach even the most remote communities in the state.

 

“This is such a great outcome for this community and a really good example of how Queensland Government programs can be used for the benefit of communities” he said at the graduation.

 

It’s this local impact that stood out for Mr Kempton, concluding that the trainees graduating would leave a lasting impression on Mapoon.

 

“They’ve done these traineeships here, they’ve worked here, they’ve worked on projects here and they’re going to stay here.”

 

The project was part of the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, aimed at creating training and employment opportunities in regional and remote communities.

 

The story was first published in the Cape York Weekly.

The “fully Koalafied” trainees show off their new shirts gifted as part of the graduation ceremony.