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8 September 2008 General News & Information
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MICHAEL JOHNSON Kicking goals for the future with CCI

You will find these attributes in nearly all chief executives and you’ll also find them in Fremantle player Michael Johnson, who is currently undergoing a pilot program at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry with Apprenticeships Australia. I spoke to Michael to find out about this mentoring program in which he is being trained to train the future generations, plus the similarities he sees between life as an elite sportsman and successful commercial operators.

There are few things in life that incite as much passion in West Australians as their beloved Aussie rules. Football has become infused in Australian culture, with its sporting heroes often surpassing the celebrity status enjoyed by our politicians and dignitaries.

This coveted position does not come easily. With gruelling training sessions often demanded seven days a week plus off-the-field commitments, the rise to AFL status requires strict discipline and precise planning.

Michael Johnson has been on the books at Fremantle since 2005, and despite being just 23 years of age, he has earned a reputation as one of the team's most reliable assets on ground, with a cool head under pressure.

Michael believes that finding a life balance is paramount to achieving success; something he attributes to achieving personally since starting his mentoring program at CCI.

Michael currently works alongside Apprenticeships Australia staff one day a week, learning the ropes for a future role as apprentice supervisor where he will act as a role model and mentor to young people.

"You need a balance in life which I'm finding right now with my football and work with Apprentices Australia. To have that balance is so important - if I didn't have that I don’t know where I'd be," he said.

"I want to be very successful wherever I am and achieve my goals through doing the right thing. If I work hard in life, I'm there."

Michael's Indigenous culture attracted him immediately to the mentoring program offered to the Fremantle team by Apprentices Australia. The tailor-made pilot program paves the way to an ultimate career outside football where he can give back to the community and help Indigenous young people.

"My mother is a Nyungar and she along with my aunts and uncles instilled in me a great depth of understanding for my Indigenous heritage," Michael said.

"We used to travel back to her hometown of Quairading in the wheatbelt to visit the elders, who would teach me about my ancestry and culture. That is what is important in my life - where I come from and what I do with football.

"Eventually I would like to work with the Indigenous kids so I'm beginning the process at Apprenticeships Australia by learning the background operations."

The idea for the pilot program holds its origins with CCI Employment Services executive director Geoff Wrigley, who could see the benefits of such a partnership and took the proposal to Fremantle Football Club Development Manager Lee Walker.

Geoff said Michael’s involvement with CCI sent a great message to young people.

"CCI has the opportunity to show our young workforce that even an elite sportsman who has reached the seemingly impossible by playing at the highest level of his game in Australia, sees the importance of continuing to develop and seek out further opportunities that will assist in future life," he said.

"Michael has been given the opportunity to taste life outside of football to get some relief from the rigours of the AFL regime, which will ultimately help him with football and develop relationship and business skills."

As development manager for Fremantle, whose major role is to assist in all areas of welfare for his players including direction and preparation for a future career, Lee Walker was quick to embrace the program.

"We try to assist our players in any way we can to follow their line of interest outside football and allow for an easier transition into the workplace when their career ends," Lee said.

"Whether they have an interest in business or health and fitness, we help them chip away at gaining another qualification to further themselves."

Michael admitted that a future career outside football was of prime concern to most of the players.

"We always talk about it, as although we’re given all the support possible, it really is up to us to take up the opportunities," he said.

"I've had a couple of friends who have gone through the AFL system and had nothing to show for it at the end. When you think about it, most players are just 17 year old kids when they're drafted so they don't take the usual pathways most young people do in terms of university or TAFE qualifications. It takes a lot of discipline to steer your mind towards outside work when you have time off training.

"We all want to make sure we're set up if there's an injury as your career could end any day with injuries or de-listings."

When Michael first expressed his desire to trial the program to Lee Walker, he was in the midst of pre-season training which required training every day so the decision was made to wait until the start of season.

"Michael has always expressed a huge interest in becoming involved with Indigenous affairs so this pilot program provided the ideal stepping stone for Michael to end up where he wants to be," he said.

"This mentoring role is perfect for Michael as he's approachable, extremely caring right across the board, and also very responsible, which are the major attributes you need in a leadership role."

The young apprentices he meets today on his visits to host companies can’t believe their eyes when an AFL player hands them their uniform and checks on their progress.

Michael chuckled when he admitted that "a few of the apprentices are keen Fremantle supporters so they get pretty excited (and cheeky) when we visit."

"They often ask me why the team has been losing and offer the club a few tips! It's one of the best parts about this role, I really enjoy seeing them with a smile on their face even if it's at my expense."

Michael looks forward to visiting the programs that Apprenticeships Australia is involved with in the North West.

"I think it will be a great experience to see the young Indigenous people who have been so successful in their programs and are working so hard," he said.

"Being Indigenous means that when you do succeed in life, your family all look up to you and become very proud. If you can inspire them to take their own pathway to succeed in life that's terrific, whether it's in football, or achieving good school grades to go on to open up their own business."

Much of Michael's dedication to succeed is fuelled by a passion to make his family proud of him.

"Seeing how proud my family and friends are of me is what drives me every day, and with the passing of my father a couple of years ago who was my number one fan, it has made me even more determined."

Evidently a real team player, Michael said this is where he could see so many similarities between sports and business.

"My team-mates have become like my brothers and coming into CCI has become a little bit like entering the club room. You all pitch in together to achieve the right results; you're working together and travelling together, and of course it's vital to have a few laughs together along the way," he said.

The time at CCI also gives Michael a reprieve from his all-consuming sport.

"Every time you're at the club there's something you need to do in preparation for the next game. We live and breathe our game, and to have one day off and work with the guys here at CCI takes your mind off the game for once and allows you to relax. I think all AFL players should have that."

The Fremantle Football Club is proactive in nurturing their players' well-being, with a wider AFL Association also dedicated to forming career pathways for their footballers.

Lee Walker said he was extremely impressed with the CCI program and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the opportunity to the upcoming draftees.

"This is a terrific program that allows players to really seek and become educated in a working environment outside of the game. And for the younger players, what better way for them to become involved with young people than through involvement with apprentices and trainees?"

This sentiment is clearly endorsed by all who have been involved with Michael at CCI, prompting Geoff Wrigley to confirm the ongoing inclusion of the mentoring program.

"Michael has impressed all his colleagues at CCI and has cleared the way for us to expand the program and offer it up to people in a similar position. That is likely to occur toward the end of next pre-season training," he said.

"We certainly look forward to an ongoing partnership with Fremantle Football Club, and welcome players to become involved with CCI's role model development program in the future."

By Sarah Golden

CCI Senior Journalist

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Apprenticeships Australia's winning ways - 22 October 07


The state's labour shortage is one of the greatest impediments to doing business in Western Australia. Owners of small, medium and large enterprises are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain staff as the WA economy continues be the powerhouse of the nation with rapid industrial and...

Member and/or subscriber access only. Call (08) 9365 7455 for password help or click here to login.
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Direct Assistance to Employers of Apprentices in the Building and Construction Industry (30 Sept 04)

The Building and Construction Industry Training Fund (BCITF) provides funding grants to employers to assist with the cost of training new apprentices.  Grants are available if you employ apprentices in the following trades:

  • Bricklaying
  • Carpentry & Joinery
  • Painting & Decorating
  • Glazing /Bevelling
  • Plumbing/Gas fitting
  • Electrical Mechanics
  • Tile Laying
  • Sprinkler Fitting
  • Stonemasonry
  • Roof Plumbing
  • Roof Tiling
  • Plastering
  • Wall & Ceiling Fixing 
  • Mechanical Refrigeration Fitting
  • Modelling Fibrous Plaster
  • First Class Welding – Fabrication
  • Boiler Making Metal Construction - Fabrication
  • Sheet Metal Worker

The BCITF Board has decided to increase the funding grant to $9900 (including 10% GST) for new apprentices who are registered and admitted to the scheme from 1 January 2004.  The grant will be distributed over the four years of the apprenticeship with:

  • $3300 payable upon registration of the apprenticeship agreement
  • $3300 payable on successful completion of the apprentices off the job training qualification
  • $3300 payable on the successful completion of the indenture
  • $500 bonus payment to employers who indenture apprentices with a pre-apprenticeship qualification as from 1 July 2004.

To qualify for grants under this program employers of apprentices must be actively and directly involved in on-site construction / installation or on-site fabrication work in the building and construction industry.

New Subsidy For Employment of Mature Age Apprentices

A new subsidy has been introduced as from 1 October 2004 and will involve the provision of an additional subsidy of $5,000 for apprentices in the Wet Trades and $3,000 for apprentices in all other trades, where the person indentured is over 21 years of age.  This is in addition to the $9,900 paid by the BCITF already. Wet Trades include:

Bricklaying, Wall and ceiling fixing, Plastering, Modelling fibrous plaster,  Wall and floor tiling and Stonemasonry.

The monies are in addition to the incentive payments provided by the Department of Education, Science and Training, which is paid to you by your New Apprenticeship Centre.  Apprentices taken on prior to this date still attract a payment, however the amount of the payment may differ to that shown above.

Applications should be lodged when the Apprentice Training Contract is registered. 

Application forms for this extra grant are available from the BCITF:

55 Salvado Rd
Business Centre
Homebase
Subiaco  WA  6008
Or by phoning  (08) 9381 390

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WA trade skills not keeping pace – shortage looming (1 May 04)

A looming shortage of trade skills threatens to impede resource development and industrial growth in Western Australia unless pre-emptive steps are taken and there is a fundamental change in the State Government’s approach to training.

Any strategy to boost local industry participation in major projects, such as State Development Minister Clive Brown’s recently released Building Local Industry Policy, will be futile if WA companies do not have the skilled workers to undertake contracts.

For the Minister’s policy to be successful, concurrent action must be taken to modernise the apprenticeship system and clear the way for increased skilled migration and use of foreign workers.

With the ageing of the local workforce, the availability of skills is running down in WA at a time when it should be expanding to meet emerging opportunities and to compensate for the loss of trained workers to lucrative job offers elsewhere.

Already pressed to find sufficient recruits, resource companies are concerned that the current pool of skilled tradespersons in WA will not be enough to meet the needs of new projects coming on stream. Several thousand will be needed during coming years.

Skilled workers who have traditionally made themselves available for remote construction work make up a big portion of those headed for retirement, at the same time as interest in taking up trade careers is declining among school leavers in spite of the high wages and employment prospects.

Present state and federal training initiatives partly address this and may help replenish the workforce, but a significant shortfall of skilled tradespeople within 3-5 years is almost certain if WA relies on these programs alone.

More immediate action is needed to ensure the state’s skills base expands. This has to include the removal of restrictions on traditional trade apprenticeships and a boost in skilled migration.

WA’s archaic training legislation is the biggest single hurdle to an immediate increase in traditional apprenticeship numbers.

The current approach to apprenticeships is characterised by bureaucratic processes, inflexible funding arrangements and a lack of understanding of the need for responsive, just-in-time training arrangements.

WA is long overdue for an overhaul of trade training arrangements and the introduction of a true, competency-based apprenticeship system to ensure there are maximum opportunities for skills development available for West Australians.

A sensible and flexible approach to the use of skilled labour from outside the state is also required.

There needs to be wider community acceptance that attracting skilled and properly accredited labour from elsewhere is in WA’s interest and will be positive for the state economy.

Current immigration policy does allow for skilled labour to be sourced from other countries, including the UK, South Africa and Canada, on a short-term, supervised basis.

Provided appropriate programs are in place to allow resident West Australians to develop skills and to take up trades, a measured and flexible process for skilled migration and work permit arrangements would be beneficial.

NB: CCI is the state’s largest employer of apprentices and trainees. The Chamber conducts regular recruitments and currently employs and manages 630 apprentices, of whom 9 per cent are indigenous.

They are located with host employers throughout the state, including Hamersley Iron, BHP Billiton and Woodside Energy.

Through its New Apprenticeships operation, CCI also provides a broader service to employers who sponsor their apprentices direct, by providing advice on the range of apprenticeships available and helping with documentation, accredited training and participation in incentive programs.

CCI facilitates the signing up of approximately 8,000 apprentices and trainees a year.

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New apprentice facilities at Hamersley Iron

The latest intake of Apprenticeships Western Australia apprentices and trainees hosted at Hamersley Iron will soon enjoy the benefits of brand new purpose-designed facilities.

The first year apprentice workshop is being constructed in the TP Hews and will house and train the entire 2004 intake of apprentices. Safety initiatives are integral in the design of the facility.

Kristen Churnside, an outgoing fourth year fabrication apprentice is assisting Hamersley Iron’s Derek Hewitt in coordinating the construction. Other second, third and fourth year apprentices will also be contributing to the project.

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