Young jobseekers look to engineer career pathways

Broome jobseekers and students jumped at the opportunity to meet with an engineering group during its recent visit to the town, with long-term employment and experience at the front of their minds.

Monadelphous Group held four “assessment centres” at the Oaks Hotel over two days to attract workers from the area to offshore maintenance and industrial services work.

Almost 80 residents from a range of trades attended the group interview workshop sessions, where they had to complete tasks that simulated their potential future work environment.

It is understood recruiters were looking for instrument, electrical, mechanical and service technicians.

The company constructs projects and improves facilities for resource, energy and infrastructure sectors and has contracts with Inpex and Shell for respective projects in the Browse Basin, 425km north of Broome. Monadelphous project director Dough Cochrane said the assessment centres provided residents with an achievable pathway into the oil and gas industry.

“Due to the nature of our long-term contracts within the region, we have a real opportunity to provide job and training opportunities to the community, which is a really exciting prospect,” he said.

One session in the two-day workshop was run specifically for a group of Year 12 students from the West Kimberley Clontarf Academy.

The young men were given the invaluable experience of participating in group exercises and simulated job interviews to help prepare them for life after school.

Clontarf Foundation operations officer Darren Muir said the workshop was good preparation for the students.

“Mock interviews are a really important part of preparing the boys for future employment opportunities,” he said. “It takes them out of their comfort zone and, with practice, will ensure they don’t freeze up.”