❓ The Minister for Regional Development provides details on the government's funding for trainee and apprentice hostels in South Hedland and Newman, Pilbara, highlighting partnerships and benefits for Indigenous and non-Indigenous trainees in addressing skills shortages.
AnsweredQoN 75Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRAINEES AND APPRENTICES — PILBARA HOSTELS
75. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional
Development:
I was pleased to learn that the Liberal–National
government recently announced funding to establish hostels for trainees and
apprentices in the Pilbara. With this in mind, can the minister please inform
the house about this exciting new project to support this important part of the
workforce?
75. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional
Development:
I was pleased to learn that the Liberal–National
government recently announced funding to establish hostels for trainees and
apprentices in the Pilbara. With this in mind, can the minister please inform
the house about this exciting new project to support this important part of the
workforce?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West for the question. Hopefully
there will be some opportunities for young people from the member for North
West's region to gain skills and training in the resource sector in the
Pilbara region.
Just last week, the government announced funding to establish
two new hostels for trainees and apprentices, one in South Hedland and one in
Newman, with $16 million from the royalties for regions program, $11 million
from BHP Billiton, and $6.5 million from the Department of Housing through the
National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing with the
commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous
Affairs. The land for the South Hedland hostel will be provided by the
Department of Training and Workforce Development. It is good to see a
partnership between multiple agencies—housing, training and workforce
development, and regional development—to bring projects like this to
fruition. For a long time we have pushed the idea of trying to provide more
opportunities for young people in regional areas to build their skill base and
to participate in the resource sector. The skills shortage is a challenge
across the resource sector in Western Australia, and this project will go a
long way to address that. I am particularly excited about the opportunity for
Indigenous trainees to be engaged in this project. But the project will also be
available for non-Indigenous trainees. The South Hedland hostel will be
constructed on the Pilbara Institute's Pundulmurra campus, and a site
and design have yet to be finalised for the hostel in Newman. The South Hedland
hostel will initially be a 48-bed unisex facility, and it is designed to be
expanded to 68 beds, with additional accommodation for hostel staff and
mentors. So it will be a substantial hostel in South Hedland. Construction is
expected to be completed in 2014. This is an important step in developing
training in the Pilbara, while at the same time providing trainees and
apprentices with safe and secure accommodation and support services close to
home.
Once again, the government is
looking at completing the full jigsaw of opportunities to address the skill
shortage in the region and making sure that young people get the opportunity to
participate in the region. That is why this project is such a positive
announcement for the Liberal–National government.
there will be some opportunities for young people from the member for North
West's region to gain skills and training in the resource sector in the
Pilbara region.
Just last week, the government announced funding to establish
two new hostels for trainees and apprentices, one in South Hedland and one in
Newman, with $16 million from the royalties for regions program, $11 million
from BHP Billiton, and $6.5 million from the Department of Housing through the
National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing with the
commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous
Affairs. The land for the South Hedland hostel will be provided by the
Department of Training and Workforce Development. It is good to see a
partnership between multiple agencies—housing, training and workforce
development, and regional development—to bring projects like this to
fruition. For a long time we have pushed the idea of trying to provide more
opportunities for young people in regional areas to build their skill base and
to participate in the resource sector. The skills shortage is a challenge
across the resource sector in Western Australia, and this project will go a
long way to address that. I am particularly excited about the opportunity for
Indigenous trainees to be engaged in this project. But the project will also be
available for non-Indigenous trainees. The South Hedland hostel will be
constructed on the Pilbara Institute's Pundulmurra campus, and a site
and design have yet to be finalised for the hostel in Newman. The South Hedland
hostel will initially be a 48-bed unisex facility, and it is designed to be
expanded to 68 beds, with additional accommodation for hostel staff and
mentors. So it will be a substantial hostel in South Hedland. Construction is
expected to be completed in 2014. This is an important step in developing
training in the Pilbara, while at the same time providing trainees and
apprentices with safe and secure accommodation and support services close to
home.
Once again, the government is
looking at completing the full jigsaw of opportunities to address the skill
shortage in the region and making sure that young people get the opportunity to
participate in the region. That is why this project is such a positive
announcement for the Liberal–National government.
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