Statim Yaga ·

Federal Government extends Indigenous work program

Federal Government extends Indigenous work program

​The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has extended Hutchies’ Statim Yaga (start work) program which has placed 350 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders into the construction industry since 2015 – six months ahead of its scheduled target date of June 2019.

A new target of an additional 200 Indigenous jobseekers placed by 2020 is the goal of the extended program.

The extension is acknowledgement of the success of Statim Yaga with Hutchies and its subcontractors and suppliers. 

Hutchies’ Statim Yaga Indigenous work program has surpassed all expectations by achieving its goal to place 350 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into the construction industry six months ahead of schedule.

The team of Joel Anderson, Emma White, Glen Duncan and Jean Cobbo, led by Indigenous program manager, Mark Kucks, thanked and acknowledged all the teams who have supported this great outcome.

“It’s a great result and wouldn’t have happened without the culture and family environment that is Hutchies,” said Mark.

“We have great support and backing from Board members and at team leader level and this filters down to everyone on site as well.

“So many people have wanted to do their part.

“By providing the right training, mentoring and support, these 350 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees have been able to stick it out, while breaking down barriers and creating positive role models for their families and communities,” said Mark.

Chairman Scott Hutchinson said Hutchies was proud of the impact its Statim Yaga program had been able to make.

“Every person we have helped to get into work has a family, so there is a multiplier effect for every job created,” said Scott.

“It’s been such a great result we’ve been able to achieve and it has changed our workplace for the better.

“We now have 55 Indigenous team members inside the company and I couldn’t be prouder of the people who have taken part in Statim Yaga and those who have embraced it from top down.

“The great news moving forward is our partners at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet have agreed to extend our program, which will see us get an additional 200 Indigenous jobseekers into the industry by 2020.

“This is a great show of confidence by the government in Hutchies that we are on the right track and achieving great things,” he said.