Powerful trip for Karratha students

Indigenous students from Karratha’s Clontarf Academy were welcomed to ATCO Power Australia’s electricity generation station this week as part of the Academy’s job ready development program.

Year 10 students were given the opportunity to see how Karratha’s power is produced, as well as learn more about the skills and qualifications needed to work in the energy industry.

ATCO Power station manager Roger Boyle said the crew were “delighted” to have the students tour the station.

“They were very interested seeing an operating working site as well as understanding the safety protocols that needed to be followed while on-site,” he said.

“The kids showed a lot of interest in how West Australian natural gas is used to power the two generators we use to produce electricity which then flows through the Horizon Power network to supply electricity to the homes and businesses of Karratha and surrounding areas.

“It was great to share our experiences with the students and help them discover the diverse opportunities to work in this fantastic part of the world.”

Karratha Clontarf Academy operations officer Greg Townsend said work site visits were important for developing understanding of local industry and encouraging students to pursue their employment goals.

“Being able to give these kids the chance to see the variety of employment options across the many industries that contribute to the Pilbara community in a meaningful way is really important,” he said.

Mr Townsend said the willingness of companies to take time to spend with the students left a lasting impression.