Rio Tinto launches sustainable employment program for Aboriginal offenders

Rio Tinto's successful pre-employment program Work Start has begun in a Pilbara prison to help Aboriginal offenders into jobs with the iron ore miner once released.

Rio Tinto has partnered with the Department of Corrective Services and Pilbara TAFE to deliver the 14-week course at Roebourne Regional Prison.

Twelve people have started the course which is being delivered at the prison and its work site on nearby Mt Welcome Station. Most of the participants are traditional owners from the Pilbara.

They will study literacy, numeracy, occupational health and safety, time management, personal finance management and other workplace skills. There is a strong focus on meeting drug and alcohol requirements.

Joanne Farrell, Rio Tinto's Vice President Organisation Resources for Iron Ore, said Work Start would help the prisoners get their lives on the right track once released.

"If they are immediately employable when they leave Roebourne prison, we will have appropriate jobs for them at our port and mine operations in the Pilbara," she said. "The benefit of going straight into mining industry employment is not only a regular and reasonable income, but also the healthy life style and discipline required to do the job."

When the prisoners are released from November, it is likely some will join a flexible work team, based on a successful model being used to employ traditional owners at Rio Tinto's West Angelas mine.

Rio Tinto created the Work Start program in conjunction with Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation as a pathway for the long-term unemployed to enter the mining workforce.

Rio Tinto has held Work Start courses in the Pilbara towns of Tom Price, Karratha, Roebourne and Nullagine. Similar programs have been adopted in Onslow and are planned for Rio Tinto's regional fly-in, fly-out locations.

About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is a leading international mining group headquartered in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and NYSE listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Rio Tinto's business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminium, copper, diamonds, energy (coal and uranium), gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide, salt, talc) and iron ore. Activities span the world but are strongly represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in South America, Asia, Europe and southern Africa

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