Evolution Mining have signed a two-year partnership with the Johnathan Thurston Academy to improve employment and training opportunities for Indigenous job seekers.
Johnathan Thurston AM, former rugby league player, now ambassador and Indigenous role model.
Evolution Mining Group Community Relations Advisor Charmaine Saltner with Johnathan Thurston AM.
The new partnership between Evolution Mining and the Johnathan Thurston Academy (JTA) will help improve access to employment and training opportunities for local and Indigenous job seekers aged between 16 and 25 across regional Australia.
While promoting job vacancies and training opportunities, the partnership will also assist local and Indigenous participants by preparing them to be job ready, building their self-confidence and developing skills in resume writing, job interviewing and submitting job applications.
Evolution Mining Group Manager External and Indigenous Relations Anika McManus said the gold company was committed to maximising local and Indigenous employment opportunities, wherever possible.
“We are excited about our partnership with the JTA, as their programs will help remove some of the barriers we identified that were preventing some locals from applying for roles,” she said.
“Supporting people in the communities in which we operate to competitively apply for jobs, not just with us, but with any company, will benefit both the community and Evolution.
“Targeted training and support around writing job applications, compiling a resume and, importantly, having the confidence to attend and succeed in a job interview, will help more people access available jobs and to have fulfilling careers,” Ms McManus explained.
The partnership will be implemented from September 2019 at four of Evolution’s operations - Mt Carlton and Cracow in Queensland, Cowal in New South Wales and Mungari in Western Australia - with a view to potentially extend the program into other operations in future.
Johnathan Thurston AM, Managing Director of the JTA, said partnerships such as this, go a long way towards equipping Indigenous youth with the necessary skills and confidence needed to apply for work.
“The work we are doing at the Academy has been very successful in helping all youth in remote, regional and metropolitan areas around Australia access jobs and training they probably wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” he said.
“While our purpose is to help as many people as we can, there is a sustained focus on offering additional support and opportunities for Indigenous youth, especially those in regional and remote communities.
“Our partnership with Evolution Mining has enormous potential to create great employment and training opportunities, which can help to significantly increase the options available for youth in regional Australia. And that’s exciting for us.
“This aligns perfectly with everything we stand for and we thank Evolution for coming on board and helping us achieve this,” Mr Thurston concluded.
Evolution Mining have also partnered with the National Rugby League (NRL), by providing gold for the 2019 premiership rings from their Cracow gold mine in Central Queensland. The company is also making a special donation to the Wulli Wulli people, who are the traditional custodians of the land where the gold mine is located, in recognition of this historic partnership.
The 2019 premiership rings will be collaboratively designed by Johnathan Thurston. The ring design will represent Johnathan’s family the Gunggari people, and his traditional lands in South West Queensland.