Preparing for a career in mining

BHP’s FutureFit Academy seeks to forge new territory in the way we prepare our people for a career in mining.

Launched in 2020, the Academy is part of a new national training program designed to bolster Australia’s skills base and create new career pathways into the mining sector. Offering an innovative approach to training, the Academy’s fit-for-purpose maintenance training programs are run in dedicated learning centres in Perth, Western Australia, and Mackay in Queensland.

In FY2021, the Academy welcomed over 500 apprentices and trainees, with strong demand for future intakes, and deployed the first graduates to permanent jobs across our Australian operations.

Students of the Academy earn a salary while they’re studying. The purpose-built learning centres feature the latest immersive virtual reality technology combined with workshop learning designed to provide students with the training they need to competently and safely carry out their work in field.

The Academy has two training options offering nationally-recognised certification:

• maintenance traineeship – a 12-month Certificate II in Engineering – Production Technology, focused on preventative maintenance
• trade apprenticeship – a two-year program offering a full-trade qualification and the skills to perform preventative maintenance, diagnostics and repairs

Academy programs are nationally accredited and supported by our partnerships with Central Queensland University Australia and North Metropolitan TAFE, Western Australia.