MITCH MITCH TWO 2022 APPRENTICE CONFERENCE DELEGATES

Late last year, ETU apprentice delegates from across Queensland and the Northern Territory gathered in Brisbane for their annual conference. With exciting opportunities on the horizon, and huge demand for workers with electrical skills, there has arguably never been a better time to be an electrical worker.

With an aging workforce and skills shortages, much of the heavy lifting going forward will fall on the shoulders of ETU apprentices and their delegate leaders We caught up with some of the new breed of leaders when they attended the conference in October 2022

Noah Chapman

Noah Chapman, a 20 year old 3rd year electrical fitter mechanic apprentice from Biloela who is employed at Batchfire Mine Callide, represented ETU apprentices employed by group training provider Apprentice and Trainees Queensland (ATQ)

Noah was attending his first conference after being elected delegate earlier last year While there was a lot to take in, Noah was impressed with the content, delivery and camaraderie “It was great meeting apprentice delegates from across different areas, exposure to different sectors, construction and commercial, which I don’t get a lot of in Biloela I learned a lot about the union’s history and what unionism is, lots of information about programmes and issues, some which are like ours around TAFE and wages, others that are different around health and safety etc It has been a great experience. “I took a lot out of the conference, but for me the learning how to communicate issues effectively with other members and gaining a greater understanding of apprentice issues around the state and territory”

His advice to young tradies out there is get educated about what the union is, does, and its history and morals “I want to get people to join the union by showing them what the union has done in the past, what we are currently doing, what the union stands for, and how by being in the union and working together, their jobs are better protected”

His dad Warren works as an electrician at the Callide mine and is also a proud ETU member, and Noah rates his biggest influence as his workmates and fellow ETU apprentices “We have four electrical apprentices, and all four are members of the ETU, which is great We also have two electrical trades delegates as well as 11 apprentice fitters and an AMWU apprentice delegate Many of our issues are similar and we are negotiating an apprentice-specific agreement”

Noah was elected apprentice delegate in 2022 and is part of the EBA negotiating team “We’ve had a few meetings so far up, and at this stage we are setting up the frameworks.”

APPRENTICES NOAH & MITCH

Noahlikesthevarietyofworkandtheopportunitiesandexposuretogain newskills “Igettododifferentthingseachday,learningaboutandfault findingthetrucks,draglinesandinfrastructure Thereissomethingnewto learnandskillstoacquireeachday”

What does being ETU mean to you? The future

“Weareallproudunionmembers,workingtogetherforacollectivecause, decentwagesandconditions,withnooneleftbehind”

Noahasathird-yearapprenticeknowsthathisfutureisprettybrightwithall thenewprojectsplannedforthefuture Assuch,helooksforwardtogaining awiderrangeofskills “Withallthenewindustriescomingalong,itgivesme theabilitytolearnawiderangeofskills Wehavewindfarmspoppingup aroundourlocalarea,alongwithnewindustries.I’llbelookingtoget trainedinasmanyaspectsofthetradeasIcan.”

WhileNoahislookingforwardtodevelopingnewskillstomeetthedemands createdbyemergingindustries,heisalsoawarethatwithnewtechnology comeschallenges “Itwillbesoimportantthatwehaveenoughskilled workerstodotheroles,thatwillmeanpropertrainingandretention programstoprovideopportunitiesforlocals”

Beingbroughtuponacattleandcroppingfarm,Noahenjoysfarmwork, whileheisalsoakeensoccerplayer–playingforthelocalBiloelateam BiloelaValleysFootballClub “Yeah,IenjoyplayingsoccerforBiloelaValleys FC WeplayintheCentralCoastSouthDivision1Men's,withmostgames playedinandaroundGladstone,130kmaway”