Following the announcement by BlueScope Steel on Monday regarding the restructure of its
Australian operations including the Port Kembla Steelworks, BHP Billiton Illawarra
Coal announced today an
initiative to provide support to some of those people directly affected by the decision.
Illawarra Coal will establish an on-line job
centre to take applications from
people affected by the BlueScope
Steel announcement as well as other local people who are interested in joining the coal industry.
BHP Billiton???s President Illawarra Coal, Colin Bloomfield, said
the Company had recently employed a number of people without experience in the mining industry and will look to employ up to 50 more people in a range of roles across its Illawarra coal operations.??
???The company will
also take applications from anyone willing
to work in its Queensland
coal operations where more than 750 job vacancies currently exist, or in our Iron Ore operations in Western Australia where 600 vacancies exist.
???This commitment reflects Illawarra Coal???s
80-year history in the Illawarra
region and its long
standing relationship with
BlueScope Steel.
???We recognise
the impact the BlueScope decision
will have on the Illawarra
community, and as a member
of that community and substantial employer in the region,
we want to do what we can
to support the BlueScope employees
and others seeking employment in our industry,??? he said.
More information regarding these employment opportunities will be advertised in local newspapers in coming days.
Illawarra Coal
has operated in the Illawarra
region for 80 years, producing premium quality
coking coal. The company currently operates three underground longwall
mines; Appin, West Cliff and Dendrobium
and two associated coal preparation plants.