A double-headed training program backed by the Territory Government is helping workers gain the skills needed for well-paid, fulfilling careers and also easing labour shortages.

Darwin-based SJT Aboriginal Corporation put 2 grants to good use.

A Pre-Employment Training grant enabled 9 Aboriginal Territorians - 5 men and 3 women - become job-ready after a 12-week course, which covered all the basic requirements for working with plant equipment on construction sites.

The Pre-employment program, which is administered by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade provides funding for training to enable Territorians gain practical skills that will help them get a job, apprenticeship or traineeship.

Eight of the 9 immediately got full-time work.

“We’re supported by a few local businesses and they took on our trainees,” said SJT managing director James Sing.

A second grant - from the Job Trainer Fund which is jointly funded by the Australian and Northern Territory government’s - was used to put 24 trainees through a Certificate II in Civil Construction.

Some of the trainees were from Territory firms who contracted SJT to put their workers through the course.

Mr Sing said both programs were a success - and evidence of that was the number of training hours stipulated by the funding arrangements being exceeded.

SJT now plans to train a further 10 trainees for a Certificate III at the firm’s training centre in Koolpinyah, 37km east of Darwin.

Talks are also underway with an Aboriginal-owned civil construction company to train an additional 8 Aboriginal people on their projects.

SJT has secured funding to buy heavy plant and equipment.

“That will allow us to provide real experience and training on the machinery used in the civil and extractive industries,” Mr Sing said.

For further information about the Pre-employment Training program or other workforce support programs, go to the Northern Territory Government website.