The State Government will create new opportunities for Aboriginal people and businesses in the regions through State Government recruitment, purchasing and contracting practices.
The North-West Urban Construction and Development Builders Panel has been established to achieve the Aboriginal employment and training targets set by the innovative North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund.
The Panel consists of three local builders, who all have the capacity to deliver construction and refurbishment works while meeting Aboriginal training and employment targets. The three local registered Aboriginal businesses are:
The Panel is an innovative example of leveraging the housing system, to enable families to achieve better education and employment outcomes.
The Panel will deliver housing construction and large refurbishment projects in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions funded through the Department of Communities and the North West Aboriginal Housing Fund.
The three successful builders have demonstrated their commitment to growing the Aboriginal regional workforce, delivering local jobs and training pathways.
All projects delivered by the Panel are required to meet the Fund’s minimum Aboriginal employment target of 40 per cent in Kimberley and 20 per cent in Pilbara.
The Panel will also facilitate local Aboriginal apprenticeships and traineeships. To maximise apprenticeship outcomes, where possible capital works delivered under the Panel will be staged over the next four years.
Apprenticeships offer an important pathway from school to work for local Aboriginal students, offering them an opportunity to get a head start in their chosen career.
The establishment of this Panel will not only result in increased Aboriginal employment and participation in training and apprenticeships, it will also increase the government procurement of goods and services from local Aboriginal businesses.