A partnership between a Bundaberg Group Training Organisation, Australian Gulf States Group and the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry could see Middle Eastern workers trained and upskilled in the region.
East Coast Apprenticeships has been in talks with the chamber, Council and education providers regarding the potential to leverage off the Middle East’s growing potential.
A forum last week in Bundaberg detailed opportunities available in the Middle East, with the Arab region being one of Australia’s largest trading partners.
The benefits included the Middle East having the largest oil and gas discovery in eight decades and plans to develop mega-cities, including New Saudi City which would be three times larger than New York City.
East Coast Apprenticeships Bundaberg branch manager Mark Vincent said the business had long been contributing to the AACCI with chief executive Alan Sparks a member of the committee.
“We will continue to support the development of a concept proposal to offer vocational education and training to Middle East and North Africa students at TAFE Queensland’s Bundaberg campus in partnership with CQUniversity,” Mark said.
While dependant on funding, he said the plans that were in the pipeline would see international students gaining training in areas including building, surveying and project management.
“It would involve them sending people with potential over here for training who would then go back to their own country and implement what they’ve learnt.”
He said the benefit was twofold, involving the AACCI investing money into skilling people working in the region.
“The idea is that these people will then project manage buildings in our local community that will benefit our local community as well,” he said.
“East Coast Apprenticeships will also continue to support efforts to showcase Bundaberg as a potential investment site with potential to contribute to efforts such as food security.”
If successful, the program will only be rolled out within the Bundaberg Region during its initial stages.
“We’ve got all of the facilities here.”
Although not possible to set a timeframe for the project prior to gaining funding, Mark said there are currently significant efforts under way to progress this initiative.
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Shame that our local people struggle to start an apprenticeship.
I don’t get it. I understand we need money coming into the community but is the trade off having less opportunities for our youth? We have a youth unemployment issue, and should we not be trying more to provide them the pathways to learn as to become managers of our projects in the future?
Increased overseas students = increased need for goods, services and tourism = increased need for staff in those sectors = increased youth employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Its really not that hard to grasp…
Lily. Your sum = Our own unskilled, low paid youth working for highly skilled, highly paid foreigners … seems like it’s hard for some people to grasp.
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