Manufacturing reaches out

THE manufacturing industry is collaborating with the Beacon Foundation to boost its youth workforce and support motivated young locals.
Eight young workers started at Dandenong’s Hilton Manufacturing this month through Beacon’s Real Futures Generation project, which supports youths from low socio-economic areas into apprenticeships, traineeships or entry-level jobs.
Real Futures Generation officer Duncan McKimm said manufacturing was a huge industry with many opportunities for kids.
“But kids aren’t aware. It’s not as visible,” he said.
So Beacon, a not-for-profit organisation, approached South East Business Networks (SEBN) to find suitable manufacturers.
Hilton’s managing director Todd Hartley and Darren Williams last year visited Dandenong High School and Westall Secondary College in Clayton South to conduct a ‘business blackboard’ with Year 11 and 12 VCAL maths classes, where they used magnetic cut-outs to demonstrate the importance of waste, budgeting, quality and profit.
Beacon south east corridor partnerships manager Anita Weber said students were then told jobs were available and offered a factory floor tour.
Twenty-five took part and completed a ‘prepare for work’ course to help them understand what was appropriate in the workplace.
“They know exactly what they’re in for,” Ms Weber said.
“They walked in with an understanding of what manufacturing is. They felt comfortable in the environment.”
They were then offered a tour with their parents and a chance to apply for a job.
One applicant walked one and a half hours to reach the application – and arrived 45 minutes early.
“That’s the extent he’s gone to to get this job,” Ms Weber said.
“He wanted it that badly.”
Mr Hartley said he’d missed a generation of students and had no workers aged under 26.
“We haven’t been able to attract young people into manufacturing because they didn’t realise it was a sophisticated industry,” he said.
He said many had the impression that there was no place for manufacturing in Australia, particularly from the car industry’s performance.
“But in Dandenong we have the best caravan manufacturer, the best bus manufacturer… ” he said.
The workers will try their hand in different departments over the next few weeks to find their best fit.
“They are at the bottom of the food chain,” Mr Hartley said.
“But for those that want to learn, we’ll offer them the opportunity to up-skill.”
And the sector is growing.
“We’ve probably employed 70 people in the past 18 months,” he said.
Alidad Aliyawar from Dandenong and Doveton’s Nowroz Ali Rahimi said they were enjoying trying out different machines and learning new skills.
Noreen Maele from Springvale had never considered manufacturing as a career path prior to the business blackboard.
“It’s not really around, not talked about,” she said.
Amateo Tumu from Cranbourne said the job was a great introduction to manufacturing.
Employers interested in taking part can call Mr McKimm on 0422 393 3301 or email duncan@beaconfoundation.net.