Aggreko reiterates its commitment to First Nations Peoples through ongoing support of life-changing programs for young indigenous men.
AGGREKO HAS ANNOUNCED a new five-year partnership with the Clontarf Foundation to improve the education, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
The Clontarf Foundation was established in 2000 and today, the foundation supports more than 12,000 boys in schools across Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Aggreko’s partnership will support Clontarf’s network of over 160 academies across Australia, providing students with mentoring, career exposure and employment pathways in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
George Whyte, Managing Director of Aggreko Australia Pacific, says they were honoured to partner with the Clontarf Foundation and play a role in supporting the next generation of First Nations leaders.
“This partnership aligns with our values and our commitment to long-term community impact, particularly in the remote locations where we operate.”
Aggreko’s Sofie Camili with trainee Billy Reynolds at the Amrun solar farm.
Earlier this year, Aggreko provided the ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ to two boys from Far North Queensland. The boys commenced a two-year school-based traineeship (Certificate II in Engineering) at Aggreko’s Amrun solar farm on the Cape York Peninsula. They’ll learn on-the-job for one day per week while they complete Years 11 and 12. Aggreko has supplied the boys with a laptop, tablet and phone as well as the PPE they need.
Aggreko has also commenced work on their third Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Aggreko’s vision for reconciliation is a nation where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples fully benefit from the opportunities they have to offer and are truly valued as the First Peoples of Australia through a deep respect and understanding by the broader community. With an operational footprint across Australia, this gives Aggreko the opportunity to connect and engage with remote communities.
“Our work towards reconciliation is underpinned by our desire to create a safer and fairer workplace within Aggreko,” says George. “Many of our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have grown organically, largely as part of our role in providing power in some of the most remote areas of Australia.”
Aggreko’s first RAP was launched in 2020, providing a blueprint to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, acknowledge their history, build closer relationships and provide employment opportunities and focus on supplier diversity. In 2024, Aggreko’s second RAP extended their efforts in the remote communities where they operate. Their third RAP will further increase their commitment to creating opportunities to employ local First Nations people and procure from local First Nations businesses.