Transfield wins Knowledge in Action premier award

28 April, 2005

Transfield wins Knowledge in Action premier award

Transfield Services Infrastructure New Zealand has received the premier award in Competenz’ annual Knowledge in Action Awards. Transfield was awarded the Corporate Award in a ceremony held at Westpac Stadium in Wellington this afternoon.

Oasis Engineering from Tauranga won the Small to Medium Enterprise Award, while Hurricane Wire Products, a division of Steel and Tube Holdings based in Christchurch, received the Workplace Safety Award. Michael Weuston from Southern Group Training Trust won the Registered Assessor of the Year Award.

The Knowledge in Action Awards were established last year by Industry Training Organisation, Competenz, to recognise excellence in industry training and development in New Zealand.

The awards recognize businesses who are committed to training and upskilling their workforce, and to making sustainable improvements across their business.

Competenz Chief Executive, John Broadhead, says the standard of entries was extremely high, reflecting the level of commitment to training by businesses all around New Zealand.

“The Knowledge in Action Awards are already setting a new standard for training excellence in just their second year of existence. I’m delighted that businesses are using the awards as another benchmark for their training programmes and as additional motivation to lift these programmes and processes to a new level.

“At the same time, they are focused on protecting the future of their businesses and industries and they are making their own contribution to strengthening the New Zealand economy. I’d like to offer my congratulations to the winners, as well as all those who entered the awards,” says Mr Broadhead.

Backgrounders

Transfield Services (Nationwide)

Transfield Services is a provider of operations and maintenance services to major organisations within New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia and the Middle East. Transfield Infrastructure is wholly owned by Transfield Services and works in an alliance partnership with the New Zealand Railways Corporation to maintain the rail infrastructure throughout New Zealand.

Transfield Infrastructure originally gained this contract with Tranz Rail in 2002, and implemented a major training programme throughout the business in order to combat a number of major issues – an ageing workforce, health and safety, culture change and a fear of change in employees.

Transfield worked with Competenz to develop two qualifications and by the end of 2004, 59 employees had achieved the National Certificate in Rail Transport (level 2), with a further 31 signed onto the National Certificate in Rail Infrastructure (level 3) qualification.

In addition, Transfield also offers its employees training agreements, accessible assessment programmes, short and block training courses, while it has established the New Zealand Rail School to attract new trainees into the industry.

Oasis Engineering (Tauranga)

Oasis Engineering is a precision engineering and manufacturing company specialising in food and beverage sanitary valves, fittings, couplings, components, pumps and swivels. Its clients include dairy, olive oil, wine, soft-drink, food, farming and forestry companies.

Since Oasis Engineering was established 22 years ago, they have trained 17 apprentices, while 40 per cent of the current workforce have completed or are undertaking Oasis apprenticeships. Four of the current employees are also Competenz trainees, while the company also offers a post-apprenticeship training programme.

The needs of the trainees are carefully monitored with monthly sessions with a work place assessor. In addition, all staff recently attended a CAD design course run in conjunction with the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, while extended design and CADCAM training was given to five staff in the past 12 months.

Courses in marketing, supervisory skills and entrepreneurship have also been made available to the management team this year.

Oasis Engineering’s Sales and Engineering Manager, David Short, received the Knowledge in Action Registered Assessor of the Year award last year.

Michael Weusten, Southern Group Training Trust

Michael Weusten is a registered workplace assessor for Southern Group Training, a non-profit company which facilitates apprenticeship training and employment opportunities through the group training concept for all trades in the Southern Region.

In the last five years, Michael has assessed in excess of 2000 credits for Southern Group Training apprentices, as well as for trainees in other organisations such as Transfield. Michael has extensive industry experience and is qualified to workplace assess a wide range of engineering apprentices.

Michael’s extensive experience, long association with apprenticeship training, workplace assessment history, and excellent rapport with people from all walks of life have made him an extremely valuable workplace assessment resource. Michael takes great pride in working with young and old in the pursuit of their engineering qualifications.

Hurricane Wire Products, Christchurch

Hurricane Wire Products is a division of Steel and Tube Holdings in Australia. Its core business is manufacturing wire fencing products for the building and farming industries, selling both to the domestic and international markets.

Hurricane Wire Products has made health and safety a focus of their operation, and despite the many hazards involved in a large volume manufacturing operation like this, the company has only had one lost-time injury in the past 18 months.

Hurricane Wire’s commitment to health and safety includes training, hazard identification, flu vaccinations, pre-employment medical examinations, ongoing monitoring, counselling which is also available for non-work related issues, a rehabilitation programme, the provision of safety equipment and hi-viz clothing, free thermal clothing and sunscreen. More than 80 per cent of staff have completed the Certificate in Health and Safety in the Workplace.

ENDS

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