Santos and KAEFER collaborate on $3million First Nations training and jobs program in the NT

Brendan Foster Published November 28, 2023 at 1.30pm (AWST)

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Kaefer Indigenous Liaison Officer Kylie Thorn & Santos Darwin LNG Production Manager Peter Kirkpatrick. Image: Santos.

Energy giant Santos and KAEFER Integrated Services have teamed up to deliver a $3 million jobs and training program for First Nations people in the Northern Territory.

The multimillion-dollar training and employment program, which commences in early 2024, will be undertaken at Santos' Darwin LNG plant and KAEFER sites.

It's expected that 26 jobs will be created over the four-year program, including the initial intake of 10 scaffolding cadets, one Cert III trainee and one apprentice.

Santos and KAEFER will support the First Nations trainees with ongoing support and financial management, and provide high-quality recruitment and mentoring services.

The program will provide opportunities for Aboriginal people to be trained by KAEFER - which will provide scaffolding, mechanical and fabric maintenance services for the Santos' Darwin LNG plant – in tertiary mechanical engineering and human resources; trade apprenticeships in welding, boiler making, painting and blasting; Certificate III Basic Scaffolding Cadetships; Certificate III Admin/HSE; Certificate IV Accounting/Book-keeping; and Certificate IV HSE Adviser Traineeships.

KAEFER and Darwin LNG intend to provide ongoing employment for participants in the program at their worksites.

KAEFER Chief Operating Officer Trent Northover said the company was "committed to investing in our people – from grassroots level through to long-term employees".

"We are very thankful for the opportunity to work alongside Santos and Darwin LNG on this program, which strongly aligns with our Reconciliation Action Plan commitments," he said.

"This program will provide Aboriginal Territorians with structured pathways that will lead to meaningful, sustainable employment.

"Our established facilities, long-term presence in Darwin and close working relationship with Santos and Darwin LNG will provide the ideal platform for this."

Santos Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Kevin Gallagher said the company was committed to real action to help close the gap on Aboriginal disadvantage in the Northern Territory.

"Training, education and good jobs are a universal foundation for human flourishing," he said.

"They are the building blocks for individual social Page 2 and economic empowerment, and just as importantly, for stronger, more resilient families and communities."