Global mining and construction equipment company Komatsu has doubled its annual investment in training to $12m and Western Australia is a major beneficiary with a $6m state-of-the art training centre and innovation hub in Welshpool.
Komatsu offers both apprentice and post-trade technical training in mining and construction industry jobs with a focus on diesel mechanics, auto electricians and fabricators.
Its research shows its apprentices are six months ahead of their peers who do traditional apprenticeships and have a one-year advantage at the completion of their training.
In addition, it maintains an 84 percent retention rate which far surpasses industry standards of around 54 percent.
The new facility was completed early this year and includes advanced workshop training rooms, a 30 tonne crane heavy lifting bay and laboratory rooms dedicated to hydraulics and electronics.
The company says its construction is a response to a critical skills shortage, particularly in the resource sector with a recent report by The Resource Sector Workforce predicting the shortfall in Australia could reach 33,000 people by the September quarter.
The report says in Western Australia it’s being driven by a number of factors including competition from the eastern states and a decline in migration.
Komatsu General Manager Training and Capability Janine Gurney says the company has 316 customer apprentices in WA and a further 200 on the East Coast. It aims to train 600 apprentices over the next two years.
“Of the 2023 Western Australian apprentice intake, 47 percent were female and in 2022 we had an apprentice aged in his late 40s; the oldest this year is 32,” she says.
However, high on its agenda with the opening of the new training centre is to recruit new trainers to meet the growth spurt the company is currently enjoying.
“We are looking for people from industry and within our own company with the technical attributes needed to make an engaging educator,” Ms Gurney explains.
“We aim to provide all our technicians with a quality and inspiring educational experience where they have the best opportunity to fulfil their learning goals and achieve their career ambitions.
“They've got to have that technical expertise and then by doing our Train the Trainer Program we’re making them into really proficient educators.
“It’s also giving them a chance to diversify their own skills, and these are often people that are really eager to give back to their industries and are really happy to share their skills and knowledge.”
She says Komatsu training is in big demand because of its high quality teachers, who are backed by current industry experience and excellent knowledge of the latest technologies.
When 75 enrolment places were recently advertised, they attracted more than 120 candidates.
Ms Gurney explains Komatsu is a pioneer of autonomous haulage systems and a leader in Smart Construction through integrated technology.
“Komatsu has long prioritised training and its training centres are highly interactive, technically advanced, globally connected and aimed at building the workforce of the future,” she says.
“We're developing courses with the latest technology trends and have a focus on helping to establish people on career pathways into high technology areas of autonomous and Smart Construction.
“We want to help ordinary operators be really fantastic operators so that when they are cutting or digging trenches for example, their precision is to the exact millimetre and a lot of our current technology does this for them.
“Through our award winning apprenticeship programs, apprentices gain exposure to next-generation technology; telemetry, driverless trucks and other advanced technologies and they also learn essential life skills to help develop their personal responsibility skills and awareness.
“It’s about fitting into the broader company culture where we focus on safety, community, career progression and access to the latest technologies and of course all the great benefits that come from that.
“So, we’re producing really high end apprentices and our aim is that the apprenticeship is the first step to a lifelong career with us.
