Ventia was recognised as a finalist for the 2022 Host Employer of the Year by the Apprentice Employment Network Western Australia's Awards of Excellence.
Through our relationship with MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees we support people who want to get qualified in a trade through an apprenticeship or traineeship pathway.
The awards acknowledge the achievements of group training organisations, apprentices, trainees and host employers.
Commitment to apprenticeships and traineeships in Western Australia
Ventia's TRACE team in Western Australia has been hosting business administration trainees in our Perth office since 2019.
Our objective is to have two trainees complete the program each year to provide opportunities for people to enter and begin their career in the resources industry.
Since the inception of the trainee program, we've had five trainees successfully complete their traineeship with all five trainees continuing to full time roles within Ventia.
Two trainees have leveraged their education and experience with Ventia as a steppingstone to pursue opportunities beyond our organisation, and three of our previous trainees are now in contract administration, procurement and mobilisation roles within Ventia.
Extension of traineeship program to Northern Territory
In 2022, Ventia's TRACE team extended the traineeship program to its Northern Territory based workforce, where we also currently employ 18 apprentices. We recruited two Business Administration trainees to join our team in the Northern Territory who commenced on site in June 2022.
We are committed to providing opportunities for First Nation people to join our organisation and gain experience in the resources industry.
Our experienced teams provide ongoing support and mentorship to our trainees well beyond the traineeship program. This commitment is evidenced by the retention of our trainees and the various professional fields in which our trainees are now employed.
The trainees in our program are supported by our front-line leaders and our dedicated Indigenous Employment team (TRECCA). The goal is to provide ongoing feedback and support to identify a career path past the successful completion of the traineeship and provide the required mentorship to enable progression and growth within Ventia.
Ventia employees Rohini Boojhawon, Aimee Coppin, Monica Mandona, Paula Purcell and Agie Edwards with Hayley Mahoney and Nicole Paterson from our joint venture partners Cegelec.
Quality of training provided to apprentices and trainees
Through an immersive and supportive working environment, Ventia is ensuring our trainees are exposed to the full swathe of skills and competencies required by oil and gas projects.
With the varying opportunities for attaining skills ranging from administration, payroll, systems coordination, training, mobilisation, and document control among many more, trainees are provided with a great foundation for the beginning of their career.
The trainees are directly supervised by a more experienced member of the team and taught through a scaffolding approach. Their skills are built upon as they gain experience and solidify the underlying competencies required to complete their traineeship and move on to a permanent team member in a more focused position.
Contributing to solutions within the team
Trainees join our team meetings, where they gain exposure to the concerns and challenges of the broader team. By being part of team meetings, trainees are not only exposed to the issues, but are also able to contribute to solution focused discussions with the rest of the team.
There are regular catch ups and check ins to ensure each trainee is on track to complete their assessable materials, with guidance available to determine what part of their assigned tasks could be transferable to their course work.
Communication is key for ensuring success for the trainees in a large team, and by setting the expectation early on that our leadership operate with an open-door policy, it invites the trainees to build independence whilst broadening their knowledge and future success.
Relationship with Group Training Organisation
Ventia has a long-standing relationship with MIGAS Apprentices & Trainees as the Group Training Organisation to support our trainee program in Western Australia. MIGAS has been the employer of most of our trainees since we began the trainee program in 2019.
MIGAS offers a full service starting from the initial screening of candidates that they believe would be suitable to join Ventia and our trainee program. MIGAS puts forward the shortlisted candidates for interviews and takes care of the employment / onboarding requirements once the successful candidates have been identified.
MIGAS also facilitates the specific book work requirements to enable the completion of the Business Administration qualification. The trainees we host are supported day-to-day by our leaders with regular visits from MIGAS to check in on their progress and provide additional support as required.
Having hosted several trainees over the last few years, we have been able to strengthen our relationship with MIGAS and they are a provider of choice when it comes to recruiting new trainees.
Aimee Coppin, pictured middle, has been employed by Ventia since 2020.
Business Administration trainee going from strength to strength
Ali Moir, a previous Business Administration trainee who has been employed by Ventia full time since completing her traineeship in 2020, has shared her career story:
"On the 11th of June 2019 I started my Indigenous Certificate III in Business Administration Traineeship through MiGas. I was a part of Ventia's TRACE contract though Broadspectrum and then Ventia. Throughout my time as a Trainee, I was highly supported by my manager and colleagues, learning from scratch and working my way up. Not only was I supported by my team, but I was also supported by the mentors through MiGas, with monthly checkups in person and over the phone to ensure I was travelling okay. I managed to finish my Certificate III in Business Administration Traineeship within eight-nine months of starting with the contract. Then I was offered a full-time position as a Project Administrator. This was only the beginning of things to come!
In February 2021, I was offered a full-time Payroll & Billing Administrator role which got me out of my comfort zone and challenged my knowledge to a new level. I was able to experience a whole completely different side to the contract which was very rewarding and eye opening.
My next opportunity was In July 2021 when I was offered a full-time Contract Administrator role. This role was rewarding for me, experiencing new things and led me into the training component which opened a new area.
Ventia gave me the opportunity to complete a Certificate IV in Trainer and Assessor for my progression in my career. Throughout the Contract Administrator role, I felt like I needed a change for my development, so I ventured out again within Ventia. In June 2022 I was offered a full-time Turnaround and Shutdowns Administrator role for one of the major natural gas facilities in WA. Within a few weeks of being part of the team, I managed to complete my Certificate IV in Trainer and Assessor which was a massive achievement.
'I have moved around here and there within my time at Ventia, but these opportunities would never have happened without the support and guidance from my colleagues, friendships, and mentors. As an Indigenous individual, having the support while being trained by a mentor is so important to keep up the motivation but also for the individuals themselves to feel they are worthy, and they can achieve anything and everything. Nothing is limited! Byron Davies (Ventia's National Deputy Project Manager for Indigenous Employment) is a great support/mentor person for Indigenous individuals as he was there for me when I needed him or even just to pop in and say hey during my traineeship and after.
Overall, I am beyond grateful for the support I received from Ventia for myself being a fresh trainee, not knowing one thing about these types of contracts with now being employed to help manage one of the major natural gas facilities in WA giving 110% effort to my work. I would not be where I am today without the help, guidance, support, friendships, and mentors I received from the very beginning. 3 years in and I could not be happier to be in the position I am in today."
- Ali Moir, previous Ventia Business Administration trainee.