Future looks bright for Fortescue grads

Almost 40 Fortescue Metals Group graduates will start the year off on a high as they bound into employment thanks to Morris Corp.

The final 2017 Vocational Training and Employment Centre graduates will enter into secondments this month with the Fortescue partner at one of the mining villages.

Graduate Henry Councillor said the training through VTEC had been incredible.

“Being out of the workforce, I had lost my confidence and self-esteem and now I am excited about what the future holds,” he said.

“I can’t thank Fortescue and Morris enough and look forward to starting my secondment at Christmas Creek.”

Starting this month, the graduates will work at various Fortescue villages and continue to receive mentoring and support from the miner’s Aboriginal development team.

Fortescue chief executive-elect Elizabeth Gaines said the program provided individualised support that delivered real outcomes for Aboriginal people through training for guaranteed jobs.

“We are pleased to provide our VTEC graduates with greater diversity in their training by joining with a business partner for the first time to expose them to employment opportunities which provide critical support for the mining sector,” she said.

The VTEC program is based on the idea of guaranteed jobs after training and has seen more than 770 Aboriginal people begin employment.