Well done to everyone who completed the Grader training last week in Borroloola. The course was provided by the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education to compliment the Certificate III Civil Construction certificate that the Community Development Program (CDP) undertakes.
The Civil Construction certificate includes White Card, Bobcat (Skid Steer), Front End Loader and Excavator training, now with the addition of Grader and Backhoe training.
Obtaining qualifications such as these is a fantastic step in career pathways that can lead to jobs at Mabunji or in mining, construction, roads, or fence line work on cattle stations, all of which are prominent industries in the Borroloola region. Grader operations are of huge benefit to the Borroloola township and surrounding outstations as there is always a need for the remote roads in the area to be maintained and fire breaks to be managed.
A number of people completed the training last week, including CDP job seekers, municipal staff from Roper Gulf and staff from Mabunji. Many of the people who completed the training have worked near graders for many years and to finally get their qualification means they can now confidently operate the machine and gain further experience in their career path.
More local people now qualified to grade local roads means that job seekers, Roper Gulf and Mabunji can work together to efficiently complete the needed works using Mabunji's grader.
The practical component of the training held last week included the cleaning and grading of the Effluent Ponds road beside the Borroloola show grounds. The grading and cleaning up the road to the Effluent Ponds enabled participants to learn the basics of grading on both access roads or fence lines, fire breaks and reconditioning roads. It also tested the participants on grading a 'hard road'. This track is now easier to access and is a fire break for both the Effluent Ponds, show grounds and rodeo grounds if needed.
We would like to thank Mabunji for joining the training, Shaun from Cairns Industries for providing the grader, Jamie Seib and Mick Hucks who were valuable mentors due to their high level of experience with graders, and of course Alvin Tan from Batchelor Institute who always provides excellent courses, content and support to the jobseekers and participants.
The Backhoe course will be starting on 14 November 2022. If anyone would like to participate in this course, please contact the CDP Office in Borroloola.
Community Development Program Borroloola:
(08) 8975 7711
Media Contact:
Bethany O’SULLIVAN | Communications Coordinator | (08) 8972 9024
