For the past two years, the construction of Goulburn Valley Health’s huge $230 million redevelopment project has involved the skills and teamwork of Shepparton’s indigenous community.
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Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Rumbalara Football Netball Club and Lendlease construction company at the start of the build, up to 17 local young indigenous workers have been employed at the GV Health site as general workers, apprentice plumbers, carpenters and electricians or fully qualified tradespeople.
Currently there are nine indigenous people working at the Graham St site.
Lendlease construction site manager Michael Roberts said the company had exceeded its target of ensuring 2.5 per cent of site workers were indigenous.
“We managed to meet that target and go beyond — the total is now three per cent,” Mr Roberts said.
Mr Roberts said a “very positive” relationship with Rumbalara had been developed over the past two years.
“This will provide a skillset to go forward and take to other employers,” he said.
Kaiela Institute business development manager Daniel Briggs said the idea was to build skills and aspiration within the indigenous community.
“We wanted to have diversity within the building project, and to help improve the wellbeing of indigenous people through skill improvements and job prospects,” Mr Briggs said.
Kaiela Institute executive director Paul Briggs said next month's RumbaFest at the sports club would celebrate indigenous culture and showcase the successful partnerships and achievements led by the club.
“The dark days of 80 per cent unemployment and workplace insecurity of the past 20 years are being addressed,” Mr Briggs said.
“We see this as an important day to celebrate the shift in engagement between community and the business sector, highlighting those employers that signed a pledge to deliver a two per cent indigenous workforce,” Mr Briggs said.
RumbaFest will include family entertainment, live music, an American-style barbecue, a pre-season practice footy match and a Jobs Expo with business luncheon.
The Rumba Progress Festival is at Rumbalara Football Netball Club, Mercury Dve, Shepparton, on Saturday, March 21 from 11 am to 5 pm. Entry is by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to the children’s ward at GV Health.
