July 13, 2012
Regional Development Australia Wide Bay Burnett has announced that a Fly-In Fly-Out co-ordinator will be appointed to link job seekers in the local region with the mining industry.
The “FIFO” co-ordinator will be a two-year shared project between the State Government and the Federal Government.
RDA WBB Executive Officer Paul Massingham said the new role would be a significant boost to the region’s employment landscape and future economic prosperity.
“Opportunities in the resource sector are there for the taking but the challenge is to link employers operating in remote areas with suitable workers in high available labour areas such as the Wide Bay Burnett,” he said.
“This new role is exciting for our region and will primarily work with employers in the Bowen, Surat and Galilee Basin areas as well as Gladstone to connect job seekers with the right training pathways to prepare them for a future in the resource sector.”
Federal Jobs Minister Chris Evans said the Wide Bay Burnett FIFO co-ordinator would attract, train and connect suitable workers to jobs on mining, construction and infrastructure projects. This would also include working with airlines to help workers commute to remote locations.
“Industry is at the very heart of the program. They are getting the workers they need and Australians are getting an opportunity to participate in the mining boom,” Mr Evans said.
Queensland Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the LNP Government believed people should have a choice about where they lived and worked.
“And while a fly-in-fly-out arrangement is not suitable for everyone, it can provide great outcomes for areas with high unemployment,” he said.
Mr Langbroek said the Wide Bay Burnett was chosen because of the potential workforce and air services.
