BHP has demonstrated its commitment to support the mining workforce and create 2,500 new traineeships nationally, with the opening of its new, state-of-the-art FutureFit Academy facility in Perth, Western Australia.
Launched in 2020, the BHP FutureFit Academy offers paid training pathways into the mining industry for those without previous mining experience, at any stage of their career. To date, more than 1,100 people have joined the FutureFit program and more than 500 have graduated with qualifications and a guaranteed job with BHP.
BHP President Australia, Geraldine Slattery, said that BHP launched the FutureFit Academy with a $300 million commitment to create a pipeline of future talent in highly skilled roles that will help support productivity and keep the Australian economy strong.
“Minerals and mining are critical to Australia’s economy and the global energy transition,” Ms Slattery said.
“We have an enormous opportunity, but also challenges to overcome to keep competing in the global arena, among them the need to build the skills needed in a modern mining sector.”
Through its two academies in Western Australia and Mackay in Central Queensland, the BHP FutureFit Academy is looking to create 2,500 new traineeships and apprenticeships over five years, with entrants joining BHP in permanent roles upon graduation.
The purpose-built learning academies feature the immersive virtual reality technology combined with workshop learning to develop skills and knowledge. They are fully equipped to simulate the workplace, including disability access and parent and prayer rooms.
The new BHP FutureFit Academy in Forrestfield is more than double the size of its predecessor in Welshpool, with an additional 110,000m² of workshop space and capacity for many more students.
“Through an innovative approach to training and employment, we’ve opened the door to a more diverse talent pool, especially people from non-mining backgrounds who want to reskill or pursue a new career,” Ms Slattery said.
“Our new BHP FutureFit Academy in Perth will provide an even better learning experience for the next wave of Australia’s tradespeople, technicians and maintenance professionals.”
A number of students, including Kael Thompson and Britnee Amos, have already begun training at the new facility.
Mr Thompson is a 33-year-old Noongar man from Perth and currently ten months into his maintenance apprenticeship. For ten years prior to joining FutureFit, Kael worked in a pawnbroker shop.
“At 33, I never thought I wanted to go for an apprenticeship. It was one of those things that I thought was out of my grasp. But with FutureFit apprenticeships being closer to two years, and based here in Perth, it was something that I jumped at the opportunity to get on board with,” Mr Thompson said.
Ms Amos, 23, from Perth was working in customer service before deciding she wanted to follow her dream of a career in the mining industry. Ms Amos is four months into her traineeship as a Maintenance Associate.
“When the opportunity arose to apply for FutureFit, I decided I was just going to go for it, and when I got the call, I just couldn’t believe it,” Ms Amos said.
“To have paid training, working with people who’ve also had no experience in mining, from all different walks of life, all different ages, and a lot of other females, it’s just so empowering.”
Forrestfield also offers an expanded curriculum, including high-risk work licensing, maintenance associate and trade programs in auto electrical, fabrication mechanical fitting and heavy diesel, and is now delivering the apprentice program for BHP’s Western Australia Iron Ore and Nickel West operations.
Featured image: The opening of the new FutureFit Academy in Forrestfield. Image credit: BHP
