Success Story - Skilled Migrants Boost Queensland Company's Local Apprenticeship Scheme
Skilled migration solved two problems for Mackay company Macs Engineering as it strived to meet the demands of the booming Queensland mining industry.
Employing 10 British and six South African workers helped the company overcome an immediate skills shortage.
The engineering firm, which supplies truck and utility bodies for mine sites, employed the boilermakers, sheetmetal workers and painter under the Australian Government's Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme.
Company Director David Hinder said employing the British and South African workers enabled him to expand the number of local Australian apprentices he trained from eight to 17.
'It is an excellent scheme for us,' David said.
'There is major development underway in the Queensland coal industry and exports alone are worth about $1.2 billion annually.
'The demand for skilled people is critical and it's going to get tighter as exports increase.
'The majority of our business comes from large companies such as Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton-Mitsubishi Alliance, Orica, Roche and Ergon and we need skilled workers to meet the needs of our clients.
David sought the British workers through the department's Australia Needs Skills Expo in London last year after an Australia-wide recruitment campaign had failed to secure enough people with the required skills.
'More than 4000 people attended the expo,' David said.
'We spoke to 90 tradespeople before finally employing 10 people.
'The expo has been so successful we're returning to the London, Manchester and Dublin expos this year.'
Two of the British recruits, London boilermakers Chris Green and Daniel George, moved to Mackay where they were enjoying the benefits of the relaxed Australian lifestyle and the satisfaction of training apprentices.
Chris, 31, who settled in Mackay with his wife Rachel, 33, and daughter Jessie, 18 months, said he enjoyed family activities such as taking Jessie for walks along the beach and collecting shells.
'I'm also enjoying passing on my skills to the apprentice,' Chris said.
'He's a good lad and he's willing to listen and learn.'
Daniel, 25, said that as well as earning more money he was enjoying the beach after work.
'I've taken up sport again,' Daniel said. 'I'm playing soccer for South Rangers and I scored a goal in my first game.'
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