Trainsafe RTO is helping quarries retain valuable experience by delivering training that goes far beyond ticking a compliance box.
In the quarrying sector, it is common for people who have spent years working in the pit to progress into management roles. While their operational knowledge is invaluable, the skills needed to run a quarry day to day can be very different from those required on the tools.
For many new quarry managers, managing people, resolving conflict and fostering a positive workplace culture are not skills they have been formally taught.
Trainsafe RTO managing director Malcolm McDonald said these capabilities often need to be developed alongside the role, and learning through trial and error can be costly.
“People often end up learning these skills on the run,” McDonald told Quarry. “But if trial and error is your teacher, you are going to make mistakes, and some of those mistakes can have serious consequences.”
That is where Trainsafe RTO sets itself apart. The registered training organisation provides training and assessment specifically for the quarrying sector, delivered by trainers who have lived and breathed the industry.
Its team includes former quarry managers, trainers, rescue operators and business owners, with experience across Australia and overseas. That depth of practical knowledge allows trainers to relate directly to participants, building trust, respect and stronger learning outcomes.
“They have all made mistakes,” McDonald said. “One of our trainers was named quarry manager of the year. He openly shares what went wrong in his career so others do not repeat the same errors.”
Trainsafe RTO takes a practical, people focused approach to training. Rather than delivering theory in isolation, its trainers work on site, acting as a link between the training industry and the realities of quarry operations.
“We are quarry people training other quarry people,” McDonald said. “We prefer to be on site. And we do not just teach the content, we teach people how to study and how to learn again. For some, it has been a very long time since they last sat behind a desk.”
The organisation delivers a range of nationally recognised qualifications, including the Diploma of Surface Operations Management (RII50120) and Certificate III and IV in Surface Extraction Operations (RII30120 and RII40120). It also provides NSW SafeWork competencies and a wide range of training, from confined space entry to fire extinguisher use and manual handling.
Staying relevant is central to Trainsafe RTO’s philosophy. The team regularly attends manufacturer conferences to stay across new technologies, as well as business and leadership forums to strengthen management capability.
“As a training provider, we cannot afford to stand still,” McDonald said. “Our engagement with industry, regulators and manufacturers allows us to bring leading practices from other sectors back to quarries.”
That insight often helps businesses simplify their systems rather than complicate them.
“We frequently find workplaces weighed down with layers of paperwork created with the best intentions,” McDonald said. “Because we understand WHS legislation inside out, we are often able to reduce documentation rather than add to it, without compromising compliance.”
Trainsafe RTO’s business model prioritises continuity. Each client works primarily with one main trainer, supported by specialists when required. This allows trainers to build genuine relationships and gain a thorough understanding of site specific systems, procedures and people.
“It is not just about turning up,” McDonald said. “It is about knowing the people, their challenges, their processes and their environment.”
That familiarity allows training to be tailored using real equipment, real procedures and real scenarios, not generic examples.
“When we develop procedure manuals, the images and examples are of your own plant and machines,” McDonald said. “We capture the unique knowledge held by long serving employees, the things they have learned through experience that are often never written down.”
Preserving that knowledge delivers significant value.
“By capturing it, we prevent the same mistakes being made again and save quarries hundreds of thousands of dollars when experienced people retire or move on,” McDonald said.
Ultimately, Trainsafe RTO’s goal is to help quarry businesses operate more safely, more efficiently and more profitably. Skills development, McDonald says, must deliver tangible outcomes.
“Training is more than a piece of paper,” he said. “The business has to see a return, whether that is improved safety, higher production, better quality or reduced maintenance costs.”
“Our role is to help people identify where they can improve the quarry and show management exactly how that improvement adds value.” •
For more information, visit trainsafe.com.au.
