Cookernup resident joins ‘bumper number’ of new apprentices joining Alcoa’s operations in 2023

A Cookernup local is finding her feet in a new apprenticeship, as she joins a major local employer’s trainee intake. Lilly Tindale is one of 39 trainees who have started their apprenticeships with Alcoa this year as the company increases its annual intake by more than 60 per cent. Around 92 per cent of the aluminum producer’s new apprentices nationally will be based at their operations in the Peel and Kwinana regions. Each apprentice will be trained in one of five nationally recognised trades: mechanical fitting, heavy duty plant mechanic, fabricator/welder, electrical instrumentation technician or light vehicle mechanic. Australian operations vice president Rob Bear said the increase demonstrated a commitment to train and develop the future skilled workforce, and receive “first-class training”. “Almost half this new cohort are young women, which showcases our continued commitment to building a safe, diverse, and rewarding work environment,” he said. Ms Tindale is working as a first-year electrical instrumentation apprentice at the Wagerup alumina refinery and said she was attracted to the opportunities the apprenticeship program provided. Alcoa said it has trained more than 2500 apprentices, trainees and graduates in its more than six decades of operation in Australia.