Chisholm Institute CNC trainees

Chisholm Institute of TAFE stepped up when the industry needed extra hands, and the unemployed needed a hand up.

Chisholm Institute was thrilled to host three tranches of AMTIL Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) operator trainees. During the course, students learned how to operate CNC machines, use hand tools, take engineering measurements, as well as general workplace health and safety.

“The Chisholm Engineering department is proud to host such an innovative and successful program that not only provides an engaging learning environment, but also shows students how their learning is applied in the real world through industry visits,” said Brad Knight, the Education Manager in the Engineering department. “It was so rewarding to see so many students finish the program and be offered industry employment as a result.”

This is a story of AMTIL member companies and Chisholm Institute of TAFE helping unemployed people, aged from their early twenties to late fifties, women, and men, mums and Afghani refugees in 2022. Employers were given the opportunity to bring new talent to their businesses and these people were given hope of a better future.

The goal was to skill up a bunch of people into registered CNC operator positions and then to have them employed by the end of the training, with a view to them starting a lucrative career in machine tools and manufacturing.

“Our industry’s challenges in the new entrant area were not being met,” explained Greg Chalker, AMTIL’s Corporate Services Manager. “Our advanced and precision manufacturers were, and still are, struggling to attract people into their businesses. This not a new issue. Our members have faced this problem for many years, in fact decades. So, AMTIL decided to simply try something: a pilot. After a few meetings with AMTIL’s Skills Working Group, it was decided to identify a very small part of our membership, define it, and isolate it, talk to the members about what it was they needed and pose a course of action.”

The overwhelming results of these conversations were that companies needed apprentices and operators, and they needed them, right now. “Geographically, the pilot was roughly bounded by the triangle Bayswater – Carrum Downs – Moorabbin,” explained Chalker, which took in a slab of South-East Melbourne suburbs. “We chose to limit skillsets to machining and fabrication CNC machines.”

AMTIL approached the Department of Education, Skills, and Employment (DESE) about the possibility of working together.

AMTIL needed to find a training organisation able to provide training in CNC operation skills and to support apprenticeships. AMTIL approached four colleges in that area and the Chisholm Institute of TAFE stepped up when others couldn’t or wouldn’t.

A very basic CNC machine operator training programme was devised and accepted by the programmes reference group. Employers with CNC Operator positions were identified. A recruitment process and partners were put into place. Contracts with DESE were signed and we were away. The pilot was simple. Simple in process, simple in action, simple in expectation and outcome.

• 15 employer companies with 25 unfilled positions;

• Job Active (now Workforce Australia) partnered for their client pool of potential candidates;

• One TAFE training provider;

• A four-week programme;

• Four days of each week face-to-face learning;

• Last day of each week one and two, visiting employers;

• Last day of each week three and four, ‘speed dating’ interviews.

“It has to be said, this was a tough demographic to motivate,” Greg Chalker said. “This was a pool of long-term unemployed, a socio-economically challenged group of people. But this could be powerful enough to change some people’s lives for the better.”

Firstly, they instigated a way of finding new industry entrants; nurturing new talent meant that long-term unemployed people were to be given a chance here. “We were pleased to see DESE stepping up and partnering with industry to pilot something we didn’t know would work,” Chalker added.

The unemployed were taken through the four-week programme. They were shown through a range of basic skill sets. The training outcome was as a basic CNC operator. “They were not trained to

“The industry partners, our members, and the TAFE both want more. Positions have been successfully filled. Some have been taken through offers of an apprenticeship. Candidate’s lives have been significantly influenced and changed for the better. The pilot has only given everybody a taste. It is not perfect, but it was better than was expected or doing nothing,” said Frank Gogol of Hargo Engineering. “The candidates from this course have been able to contribute on the shop floor from day one, and they’ve shown a level of engagement not normally seen thanks to the exposure they received at Chisholm.” programme, though they were exposed to the programming aspect,” Chalker said. “They were not trained to set up machines and the tooling, thought they were obviously exposed to that as well. These were people given skills to safely operate the machine, understand simple measuring techniques, and identify problems, communicating them back to their supervisor.”

There were site visits to member manufacturing companies to allow the trainees to ask questions about what longterm careers might be available at the end of their training. Lastly, the magic happened. Industry interviews were done a little bit differently. “AMTIL organised a day where we’d have five to seven companies interview between six and ten candidates over a two-and-a-half-hour period. After the weeks of learning, candidates knew what they could do,” explained Chalker. “They then found out where they could go with that knowledge.” Though the process was maybe a little unorthodox, the process worked extremely well. “We were able to shortlist potential employers and employees very quickly,” he said. “What normally might take several days to do, we did six or seven interviews and shortlists were developed in two hours.”

We were very pleased to be involved in the programme on behalf of R&I Instrument & Gear Co and sister Company Hardman Bros in supporting and promoting opportunities as CNC Operators within the manufacturing sector. The opportunities are there for those with the basic skills and a willingness to learn and grow.

I would like to thank you specifically, AMTIL as a group and Chisholm as the training organisation and the efforts of the representatives of the Local Jobs Program – South-eastern Melbourne and Peninsula and Matchworks for the efforts in co-ordinating the Skill Up and Placement Programme for the CNC Operator Skills short course.

“The outcomes for employers and the successful candidates can’t be underestimated. We hope that this programme can continue and hopefully gain more recognition and support in the future which may in turn help promote the potential for worthwhile, ongoing employment that benefits all of those involved,” said Andrew Rowell, General Manager, R&I Gear. chisholm.edu.au rigear.com.au amtil.com.au