Mining support for careers expo
Australian mineral sands company WIM Resource has thrown its support behind a combination of Wimmera jobs, career development and schools to sign on as major sponsor of Western Victorian Careers Expo.
The Horsham company has joined as major sponsorship partner of the event for the next two years.
The expo and partnership are designed to boost career and pathway opportunities and provide information for rural and regional students, job seekers and career changers.
The June 21 Western Victorian Careers Expo will bring together expert exhibitors from industry, Wimmera business, training and higher education to provide rural and regional Western Victorians with the most upto-date, quality and comprehensive career and pathway information.
Students from all of the region’s secondary schools will be attending and the event is open to the general public. The expo, free of charge, will be at Wimmera Events Centre at Longerenong.
WIM Resource is providing support for the expo based on expectations it will become a major future employer of the region and a commitment to support communities and develop the region’s workforce.
Expo spokesperson Vanessa O’loughlin said it was exciting to have WIM Resource as major sponsor.
“It’s even more exciting to hear, firsthand, about the many career opportunities available for our young people,” she said.
“Their investment will certainly strengthen our ability to provide ongoing career and pathway support for Wimmera and southern Mallee students and job seekers into the future.”
WIM Resource is focused on developing a high-quality, heavy-mineral sands deposit at an Avonbank mine at Dooen.
WIM Resource stakeholder liaison officer Murray Wilson said the Avonbank Project would be a large-scale multi-generational mine.
“It will create significant employment opportunities in the region, offering 250 direct full-time jobs and more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs every year for over 30 years,” he said.
Mr Wilson said partnering with the expo was a perfect fit for WIM Resource because the company would be heavily focussed on skills and training in the future as one of the region’s major employers.
“WIM is proud to come on board as a major supporter and partner and we look forward to a long association with this great event, recognised as one of Victoria’s largest and longest-running regional careers expos,” he said.