BHP reaches Indigenous employment targets three-years ahead of schedule

Australian Mining Giant BHP has smashed its own eight per cent Indigenous employment target, reaching the goal three years prior to forecasts. First forecast to reach the eight per cent mark by the end of FY25, the iron ore behemoth said as at the end of February FY22, Indigenous employment sat at 8.1 per cent. Of the Port Hedland-based apprenticeship intake, 59 per cent of apprentices identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Former South Hedland High School student Kyrell Rodney said he had his career plan all mapped out after spending just one week visiting BHP mine sties through a program called Exploring Pathways when he was in Year 11. Now, aged 18, Kyrell is one of BHP’s newest recruits, and said he had been inspired by the support and wisdom of BHP electrician and Exploring Pathways mentor Josh Nannup. “After the Exploring Pathways Program in Year 11, I knew I wanted to work at BHP — a year after I graduated, my application for an electrical apprenticeship was accepted,” he said. “Because the apprentice intake is so diverse, it has been a pretty comfortable and a good environment to work in – there is a lot of diversity in my team, about half of the team is Indigenous.” Of the 231 apprentices and trainees currently in training at BHP’s Future Fit Academy in Welshpool, which provides heavy diesel mechanics and mechanical fitters for BHP’s iron ore operations in WA, 20 per cent are Indigenous. BHP Minerals Australia Head of Indigenous Engagement Allan James said reaching the target ahead of schedule was a great achievement, but BHP’s commitment didn’t end there. “Attracting Indigenous people into our business is the first step, we also need to focus on the retention aspect and creating the pathway for more Indigenous people to develop into leadership roles. Ensuring the environment that we are creating is culturally respectful and secure for our people is critical,” he said. “Our commitment to the Indigenous community doesn’t stop at employment.” In July 2021, BHP also made seven-day payment terms for Indigenous-owned and other small local businesses operators permanent. It meant small businesses, who through the pandemic didn’t always have cashflow available to survive without payments, saw payments drop from between 30 and 60 days to just seven.