When local business McMahon Services was awarded the Lot Fourteen Stage 3A demolition contract, they were required through an Economic Development Commitment to deliver six work experience placements and two traineeships in partnership with the Renewal SA Works Program. The successful trainees would have the opportunity to complete a Certificate III Demolition (CPC30413) full time on-the-job traineeship whilst working for a company that embraces diversity and fosters its employees for long-term career progression.
The Works Program, Renewal SA’s training and employment initiative, creates pathways to employment through education, training and work experience opportunities to maximise the economic development, community participation and social inclusion benefits of the agency’s urban renewal activities.
McMahon Services together with Renewal SA’s Works Program identified elements of the 2019 partnership pre-employment program and designed a work experience and employment initiative to meet their latest commitment. Work experience participants were recruited through an information and selection session attended by approximately 30 interested candidates. A total of 11 candidates were selected for work experience with nine of these hosted at Lot Fourteen. Upon completion of the work experience placements and a subsequent probation period seven participants recently commenced demolition traineeships. This outcome well exceeds all contracted and agreed commitments while contributing to the growing number of Trainees and Apprentices in South Australia.
Pictured are 4 of 7 trainees employed by McMahon Services in alignment to the delivery of an EDC for the contract for Stage 3A Demolition at Lot Fourteen (North Wing and Residential Wing). These photos were captured on Friday 15 Jan 2021 and feature the following 4 trainees who were working on Lot Fourteen at the time: Nathan Kennett, Jake Read, Kara Stuart and Cooper Delchau.
The seven successful Trainees include Kara Stuart, a young Aboriginal woman eager to begin her employment in the construction industry and Nathan Kennett, a qualified HFC Cable Technician wanting to change careers and pursue a career in demolition. A demolition career with McMahon Services provides opportunities to travel for work with some of these Trainees having already had the opportunity to travel to remote sites such as Olympic Dam.
Pictured left to right: Hamid Couri, Shaun Holland – Operations Manager Demolition, David McMahon, Jake Read, Kara Stuart, Angus Kubank, Nathan Kennett, Colby Lueth, Liam Mullan, Anthony Coyne, Matt Hayes, Lynda Joslin, Cooper Delchau, William Briggs, Ashlee Wilton, Samantha Wilson, Jen Miron and Chris Latham
The Works Program team recently reconnected with the trainees during the classroom component of their studies, delivered by Registered Training Organisation Health and Safety Advisory Services in McMahon Services’ new state of the art training facilities at Dry Creek.
At Lot Fourteen, the Works Program is helping to ensure that redevelopment works support economic growth and generate training and job opportunities for local people. Lot Fourteen is a global precinct focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, research, education, culture and tourism and is supported by the Australian and South Australian governments.
Over the last 12 months the ongoing redevelopment program and adaptive reuse of the Heritage Buildings at the precinct has led to the delivery of more than 20 additional work experience placements across a variety of industries.