CQU Emerald campus receives donation of new apprentice training equipment from BMA

BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) has strengthened its support of CQUniversity TAFE's apprentice training by donating thousands of dollars of welding equipment to the Emerald campus.

CQU Emerald has been training BMA apprentices as part of the Work Readiness program and BMA recognised that the campus' welding and fabrication training facilities could benefit from some additional equipment for use by all current and future apprentices undertaking training.

This is the second year running for the Work Readiness program at CQU TAFE and more than 100 apprentices have undertaken the training during this time - 52 in 2021 and 51 this year.

The equipment donated' valued in excess of $9000' included welding helmets' welding gloves' bench vices' electrodes' various files and handles and personal protection equipment (PPE).

CQUniversity Deputy Vice-President VET Mr Peter Heilbuth thanked BMA for the donation of equipment.

"CQUniversity TAFE has a very long association with BMA and we are proud to provide its employees with the latest apprenticeship training and this donation of equipment will certainly help us continue that partnership'" he said.

BMA Asset President Mauro Neves said apprentices were the future of BMA's business.

"We take great pride in training people from local communities to become part of our team'" Mr Neves said.

"We're creating 51 new jobs that provide a pathway to a career in mining.

"Our new apprentices are a diverse group' reflecting the communities in which we operate. It's fantastic that nearly two thirds of the class of '22 are women and more than a third are Indigenous. This is the future of mining."