Port of Esperance calls for new apprentice

Southern Ports is on the lookout for a new apprentice at its Port of Esperance, with an opening for an apprentice boilermaker.

Southern Ports Chief Executive Officer Keith Wilks said offering and supporting training opportunities was critical to enriching regions, and he’s particularly pleased to have these roles open to local candidates. 

“The best way to ensure we have skilled workforces in our regions is to be a part of upskilling opportunities,” Mr Wilks said.

“A large proportion of our workforce is based in Esperance and we’re pleased to continue offering opportunities for apprenticeships and traineeships as career pathways locally. We have some fantastic talent coming through.”

“Through upskilling we can lift whole communities up, it’s part of the connection between strong regional ports and strong regions.”

Kaden Brown, a fourth-year Apprentice Electrician at the Port, says he considers himself lucky to be doing his apprenticeship through Southern Ports.  

“It is setting me up with a solid foundation for a great career ahead,” Kaden said.

“I would definitely recommend doing an apprenticeship through Southern Ports to anyone looking to pick up a trade.” 

Kaden splits his work week between TAFE classes and gaining industry experience at the Port of Esperance.

“I'm constantly learning and tackling new challenges in a busy operational environment,” Kaden said.

“It's a hands-on role where I’m working with lots of different tradies showing me different ways of getting the job done.

“Because I’ve learnt to approach jobs in different ways, I’m able to troubleshoot situations quicker and complete tasks efficiently.”

Southern Ports employs six apprentices and three trainees across its three ports.

It also supports additional learning pathways through work experience opportunities and through offering summer vacation work for recipients of the Steve Lewis Regional Scholarship.

Visit the Southern Ports website to learn more about apprenticeships and other opportunities to join the team.