Minister Arbib visits PICAC
The Federal Minister for Sport, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Social Housing and Homelessness visited the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre on Monday this week.
Minister Arbib inspected the facility – a world-first of its kind, to see first-hand the role that it plays in training indigenous youth in plumbing careers through the Indigenous Community Sanitation Program (ICSP), which sees indigenous Australians placed in apprenticeships in plumbing in host employers, mainly based in Victoria.
Some of these apprentices then go to work in for a not-for-profit company that services indigenous communities in remote Australia that have sub-standard sanitation. A not-for-profit company, NUDJ, has been established out of Broome, and performs many important sanitation works in communities.
The Plumbing Trades Employees Union has partnered with industry to develop the program.
The Chairman of PICAC, Earl Setches said “We’re delighted to see the Federal Minister out here to see the real and practical results we are delivering.”
“The Apprenticeship arm of the ICSP has been up and running since 2004 with over 30 indigenous plumbing apprentices involved in the scheme.”
“Some of the apprentices have returned home to their communities near Broome to work on delivering improved sanitation there, while others are building a career here.”
“PICAC is aiming to become the lead training Centre for training indigenous apprentices in Australia, a facility which aims to not only meet the challenges of climate change but also sanitation in indigenous Australia and indigenous disadvantage more broadly.”
The ICSP has received an IEP (Indigenous Employment Program) grant for total funding over two years of $424,000. A separate IEP grant for Mobility negotiated yearly in February of $47,500. Funding of similar amounts was received under the Federal Government’s STEP program in the past.
