Indigenous Australians given places in unique transport training program from TransQual
Transport and logistics trainer TransQual in conjunction with the Aboriginal Employment Opportunities Program (AEOP) have completed an entirely indigenous-attended Certificate II Road Transport Course in what is believed to be a New South Wales first.
The course, which consisted of three weeks of both theory and practical training, had a 100 percent attendance rate among the 12 trainees who attended.
According to TransQual Central Operations Manager Michael Ryan, the trainees who have passed the test will be strong chances for job placement within trucking operators that are based within Newcastle.
“It has been a very successful course, all the trainees were really good and gave a lot of positive feedback,” Ryan says.
“Some of them have already got work lined up which is great as it means it has taken less than a month for these guys to be trained and employed.”
At present the majority of the trainees had passed the course, while the remainder where still waiting on feedback. According to Steven Slee, the Marketing Senior Field Officer for AEOP in Newcastle, it is highly likely all will pass.
“The feedback for the trainer has been really good,” Slee says.
Ryan praised the course and is hopefully it is an example which can be followed not only in NSW but around the country.
“We definitely would like to see this happen more around the country,” Ryan says.
“There is a skills shortage in the Transport and Logistics Sector and we are able to provide a solution for that by placing indigenous people into that area.
Graduates of the Productivity Places Program (PPP) course are required to pass their Medium Rigid knowledge test before the commencement of the course and leave TRANSQUAL with a MR driving licence.