Tweed Shire Council acquired the Walls Quarry, located in Terranorra, New South Wales, more than 20 years ago and completed filling the disused quarry pit in 2009.
When the council called for expressions of interest to restore the approximately 3ha site in 2013, local training contractor All Excavations Training approached with an innovative proposal – to use the project to support the education of resource industry trainees.
All Excavations Training offers training and assessment both for people entering into the industry for the first time as well as for currently employed personnel wanting to gain recognition of their skills via the Resources and Infrastructure Industry National Competency. The business is supported by registered training organisation North Coast TAFE and is able to provide certificate courses and formal plant and equipment qualifications, including for crushing and screening operators.
“Having previously gained experience with rehabilitation projects for the NSW Mines Department, All Excavations Training and Tweed Shire Council identified the Walls Quarry site as a suitable rehabilitation and land forming project,” Jeff Green, general manager of All Excavations Training, told Quarry.
“Our classes and competencies are tailored to client needs, and the class size ensures all students receive appropriate time on machines and are entry level-ready for their industry.”
Green added that there was no substitute for the real life, hands-on tuition and experience the students would gain from this kind of project. {{image2-A:R-w:300}}
“Simulated training cannot give trainees all the facets of experience they need to effectively move into the workforce,” he explained. “Working on a project like this quarry also creates a real sense of accomplishment and greater confidence in their skill levels.”
A mutually beneficial partnership
According to Tweed Shire Mayor Barry Longland, the partnership offers the council an extremely cost-effective way to transform “an abandoned hole in the ground back into native bushland”.
“While All Excavations Training is progressively rehabilitating the site, the students will undertake practical training exercises in a range of courses,” he said. “At the same time, it will give resource industry trainees a better taste of real work conditions.”
Council General Manager Troy Green commented on further economic benefits for Tweed Shire.
“Not only is this joint venture saving Tweed ratepayers a significant cost in rehabilitating the site, the training is bringing more economic activity in the short-term, creating career paths for people and ensuring we have more skilled workers for future development projects,” he said.
The project is expected to commence this week with the site to be prepared for the installation of four “job pods” – modified shipping containers that will become temporary customised classrooms at the quarry and which will emulate the offices typically found at mining sites and construction projects, further enhancing the students’ real life experience.
Green said the project is expected to run for up to five years to allow for the incorporation of a wide variety of activities required in today’s civil industries such as environmental and work health and safety, as well as revegetation and vegetation control.