BHP has surpassed their indigenous employment goal three years ahead of schedule. Chile and Canada are also on track to reach their indigenous employment goals shortly.
BHP set a goal to achieve 5.75% Indigenous workforce participation back in 2019. By the end of 2020, BHP had reached 6.5% indigenous employment within Australia.
The target was then reset to reach 8% Indigenous workforce participation by the end of 2025. The company is proud to share they reached their 8% goal in 2022.
Reaching their proposed targets benefits both BHP and the local Indigenous community, said BHP Minerals Australia president Edgar Basto.
“Creating more opportunities for Indigenous people, particularly in the Pilbara and other local communities in which we operate, is an important focus of BHP,” he said.
“Combined with our commitment to accelerated training programs, I am proud that we are providing more opportunities for Indigenous people. Reaching this target ahead of schedule is a great achievement for the whole team but our commitment doesn’t end there – we know there is plenty more work to be done.”
The BHP application process was tailored for Indigenous recruits to consider their cultural needs. BHP currently has 231 apprentices and trainees, 20% are Indigenous.
One of the recruitment programs BHP runs is called “Exploring Pathways.” The program takes future recruits on a mine visit. New BHP apprentice Kyrell Rodney explains that the program is what enticed him to join the company.
“After the Exploring Pathways Program in Year 11, I knew I wanted to work at BHP – a year after I graduated, my application for an electrical apprenticeship was accepted,” Rodney said.
“Because the apprentice intake is so diverse, it has been a pretty comfortable and a good environment to work in – there is a lot of diversity in my team, about half of the team is Indigenous.”