Indigenous jobs partnership success

An indigenous employment partnership between Rio Tinto and Pilbara contractor DB Yurra has been touted as a “win-win” situation.

Under the partnership, DB Yurra employees have been trained to operate equipment used to carry out maintenance on ore cars at Rio Tinto’s 7 Mile rail workshops.

Rio Tinto rail maintenance general manager Jen Mackenzie said DB Yurra had provided safe, quality and cost-effective maintenance services.

“DB Yurra already had excellent people and it was our job to work with them to provide the training, support and systems that they needed to work across our rail operations,” she said. “Rio Tinto is benefiting from a local workforce that is familiar with our operations and responsive to our needs.

“DB Yurra has secured a base- load of work and additional skills and experience to help sustain and grow their business.”

DB Yurra WA operations manager Josh Boord said the partnership had provided job security for the contractor.

“The work with Rio Tinto gives us the certainty needed to employ and train more people,” he said.

“It also means we are well positioned to expand into other areas such as metal fabrication for ore cars, locomotives and rail track.”

“By upskilling local Indigenous people we give them the experience and confidence needed to consider taking on a trade or developing a career in some other industry.”

Mr Boord said some previous employees had gone on to work on country as park rangers.