Boosting career opportunities in regional communities

Media statement

Glencore is growing the number of apprentices across its mining operations to 362 young men and women based in regional communities throughout Australia.

We are pleased to see 112 new apprentices kick-starting their careers with Glencore this year, joining our existing 250 second, third and fourth-year apprentices spread across our coal, copper, zinc and nickel businesses.

As one of Australia’s largest natural resource sector employers, Glencore offers in-house apprenticeships across a wide variety of trades, including electrical, mechanical, fabrication, plumbing, carpentry and diesel fitting.

From Singleton to Mount Isa and Cloncurry to Borroloola, Glencore is providing the building blocks to help grow tomorrow’s talent with nationally-recognised trade qualifications and strong career pathways for the future. With a focus on local talent from regional communities, our apprenticeship program builds skills and experience with mentoring from some of the best in the business.

Joining Glencore’s 2019 recruits as an electrical apprentice at Mangoola Open Cut coal mine is Nick Watson, who completed his High School Certificate at Singleton High School in New South Wales last year: “I’m really excited to learn new skills that will provide a foundation for my working career, to meet new friends and enjoy the challenge of working at a complex, industry-leading mine site like Mangoola,” Nick said.

Another 2019 recruit, Casten Lemson, who grew up in Charters Towers, Queensland, moved to Mount Isa to complete Mount Isa Mines’ Indigenous Employment Program. Casten has now started at Mount Isa Mines’ copper operations as an apprentice diesel fitter: “I’ve always wanted to be a tradie and was very keen on vehicle maintenance at school. Mount Isa Mines’ Indigenous Employment Program helped me see a clear path forward and the apprenticeship program is providing me with a career opportunity I never ever would have had in Charters Towers,” Casten said.

In the Northern Territory, Tannah Gould is joining Glencore’s McArthur River Mine (MRM) zinc team this year to begin her trade in Engineering – Fabrication within the Metallurgy area. Tannah is a Darwin local who undertook seven days’ work experience with MRM’s environment team last year before completing year 12 at Nhulunbuy High School. “My work experience placement made me want to work at MRM straight away! The people challenge you to make yourself better every day. I’m most excited to kick-off my trade, craft metal with my hands and create something from raw natural resources,” Tannah said.

Glencore will continue to support apprentices across our business and wishes the 2019 recruits all the best as they start their careers in one of Australia’s most important industry sectors.

For further information, please contact:

Media

Agata Graham
m: +61 478 304 345
e: Agata Graham

Francis De Rosa
m: +61 417 074 751
e: Francis De Rosa

Notes for editors

Images and captions

• 2019_Coal-Apprentice_Nick-Watson: Nick Watson, Electrical Apprentice, at the Hunter Valley Skills Centre.
• 2019_MIM-Apprentice_Casten-Lemson: 2019 Apprentice Casten Lemson and another candidate receiving a Mount Isa Mines Pathways to Trade scholarship. L to R: Matt O’Neill (Chief Operating Officer, Copper North Queensland), Casten Lemson (Apprentice Diesel Fitter), Leanne Ryder (HR Manager, Copper North Queensland), Lucy Cameron (Apprentice Fitter/Welder), and Jody Todd (Manager Technical Services, George Fisher Mine).
• 2019_MIM_Apprentice-Intake: Mount Isa Mines 2019 first-year apprentices.
• 2019_MRM_Apprentice-Tannah-Gould: Tannah Gould and McArthur River Mine HR Business Partner Joseph Pritchard at the 2018 Northern Territory Training Awards.

Glencore

Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies and a major producer and marketer of more than 90 commodities. The Group's operations comprise around 150 mining and metallurgical sites, oil production assets and agricultural facilities. With a strong footprint in both established and emerging regions for natural resources, Glencore's industrial and marketing activities are supported by a global network of more than 90 offices located in over 50 countries.

Glencore's customers are industrial consumers, such as those in the automotive, steel, power generation, oil and food processing sectors. We also provide financing, logistics and other services to producers and consumers of commodities. Glencore's companies employ around 146,000 people, including contractors.

Glencore is proud to be a member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Council on Mining and Metals. We are an active participant in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Glencore Australia

Glencore has operated in Australia for nearly 20 years and holds significant interests in a range of commodity industries across all mainland states and the Northern Territory.

Headquartered in Sydney, we are a major Australian employer, with 16,300 people working across industries that include coal, copper, zinc, nickel, oil and agricultural products.

During 2017 in Australia, Glencore contributed more than $15 billion to the regional, state and national economies. The most significant economic contribution came from core business activities: employing people, sourcing from local communities, and paying taxes to host governments.