Territory companies Newmont, HWE Mining and Hastings Deering are helping to expand the training opportunities for VET students at Charles Darwin University with their most recent donations of equipment.
Newmont Australia, which operates the Granites Gold mine in the Tanami Desert with HWE Mining as the mining contractor, has donated a Volvo L70 18-tonne articulated loader to the heavy machinery department which will be used for training in a wide range of applications.
The companies also donated two late model Caterpillar C-16 diesel engines. Hastings Deering, the NT Caterpillar dealer, has done extensive work on one C-16 to make it a fully operating model.
VET heavy machinery coordinator Dave Ewing said the equipment would be of great assistance to the training program, especially electronic engine and transmission management systems.
He said the C-16 engine would be used as a static unit in the workshop, while the C-15 would operate as a running unit for apprentices to train on.
‘These are very generous donations from companies committed to improving the quality of skills training,’ Mr Ewing said.
‘This equipment would cost about $150,000 if the University had to buy it.’
Hasting Deering/Caterpillar has also given access to its electronic workshop manual library, which will assist in training in all areas, especially in automatic transmission systems, hydraulics, electronic engine management systems and equipment diagnostic.
Mr Ewing said donations from industry in the form of training resources in the last four years had now reached around $380,000.
‘We have also been fortunate enough to get two grants from the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) this year, valued at $26,000,’ he said.
‘This will allow us to expand our air brake training systems, auto transmission test equipment, electronic engine management training systems and general electronic diagnostics training.’
Newmont Australia Ltd, HWE Mining and Hasting Deering/Caterpillar have a strong relationship with companies within the Northern Territory and are committed to the training and development of young people.