'Sentenced to a job' program for prisoners

A pioneering agreement is opening doors for Aboriginal prisoners to make positive, sustainable changes in their lives through careers in the mining industry.

  • Selected prisoners offered guaranteed employment at Fortescue Metals Group

  • Life-changing opportunity for Aboriginal offenders and their families 

A pioneering agreement is opening doors for Aboriginal prisoners to make positive, sustainable changes in their lives through careers in the mining industry.

The State Government, through the Department of Corrective Services (DCS), and Fortescue Metals Group have combined to deliver a new 'sentence to jobs' initiative called the Vocational, Training and Employment Centre (VTEC) Fresh Start program.

Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said the program would provide selected minimum-security male prisoners from Roebourne Work Camp with practical skills needed to get rewarding and long-term jobs in the mining industry.

"Prisoners who successfully complete the six-month program will earn mining industry related qualifications and are guaranteed a job with Fortescue," Mr Francis said.

On completion of training, prisoners will be qualified for jobs such as construction trades assistant, forklift operator or an operator at a mine site.

The Minister said the initiative was the first of its kind under the VTEC banner for prisoners in Western Australia and would give them a chance to not only improve their lives but also the lives of their families and communities.

"Through programs like this, prisoners are given an opportunity to break their cycle of offending and become law-abiding citizens," he said.  

It also aims to help achieve the goals outlined in the Closing the Gap Prime Minister's Report 2014 which includes halving the employment gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians by 2018.

       Fact File

  • Eight prisoners will take part in the program over the next year

  • DCS and Fortescue have worked on the delivery of the program with GenerationOne; the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council chairman, Warren Mundine; Department of the Premier and Cabinet; and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs 

Minister's office - 6552 6500