A career in the construction industry is a reality for 10 Cowra residents thanks to a project being managed by Aboriginal Sustainable Housing (ASH) with the Cowra Aboriginal Lands Council and the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO).
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ASH CEO and Managing Director Brad Draper visited Cowra last week to speak with the young team embarking on new careers and to inspect the site for the five bedroom home which will be built on Tokyo Terrace.
The young workers, Russell Tighe, Arthur Simpson, Trey Pollard, Laina Kennewell, Charmaine Doolan, Jumyah Simpson, Erica Weekley, Luke Parsons, Mark Williams and Damian McIntosh were sourced through the Cowra Aboriginal Lands Council and Joblink Plus.
Before setting foot on a jobsite they have started a series of training modules to ensure they are ready for the work ahead.
Trainer John Williamson was taking them through a course on Communication in the Workplace as step one last week.
They'll also receive training on handling power tools as well as policies and procedures on the work site.
All already have white cards.
"Our company has been entrusted by the AHO to construct a five bedroom dwelling in Cowra," Mr Draper said.
"Whilst this initially does not sound unique, it is. We believe it will be the start of some progressive developments for Cowra and the social and affordable housing space that is getting so much air time at present."
ASH, Mr Draper said, has been working for the AHO for some time, building in some of the worst affected areas in the state, such as Moree and Kempsey.
"Our model is being embraced because we ensure that local people get the opportunities to work on these new builds rather than, as some builders do, import their labour.
"We ensure we exhaust the opportunities for local trades first and foremost with an aim to have local Aboriginal people undertaking this work."
As part of the process ASH is running what Mr Draper calls "Walkabout to Work".
Part of this training is to ensure that the local Aboriginal men and women involved walk away with the skills to successfully be employed in the construction industry.
"Currently this is being run at the Cowra Aboriginal Lands Council where Betty Doolan has been a major driving force to open up these opportunities," Mr Draper said.
"We keep hearing that we have a trade shortage, but ASH Group are flipping this with its modern methods of construction, the materials we use and the fact that we value the employment of locals to meet this need.
"We're trying to give back to communities in wages and skills. Our target is to get local people."
"They get that level of competency for what they're doing which will eventually lead to the Cert 2 or Cert 3.
"Every participant will get a job, two to three days each on a rotational basis working under qualified builders on site," Mr Draper said.