Rio Tinto is an industry leader in work opportunities for aboriginal people in Western Australia In the mid 1990s less than half a percent of Rio Tinto's Australia workforce was aboriginal.

Now, as the largest private employer of aboriginal people in Australia, this number has risen to eight per cent and all our operations in Western Australia are aiming to continue the trend of success in recruiting and retaining aboriginal employees.

Rio Tinto is committed to increasing aboriginal employment options around our mining operations and creating opportunities that deliver mutual long term benefits to Rio Tinto's business and to local aboriginal communities.

In Western Australia, our Iron Ore business is working towards achieving its goal of 20 percent aboriginal workforce by 2015, while Kimberly based Argyle Diamonds is aiming for a 40 percent target.

To ensure we meet these targets, our operations have adjusted recruitment, selection, training and career development programmes to ensure they are culturally appropriate and relevant to aboriginal people.

Rio Tinto is committed to creating programmes that engage aboriginal people and develop them into future leaders of our company. We know that education is the key to long-term, fulfilling work opportunities, and our work ready programmes can be a great preparation for prospective employees to familiarise themselves with the industry and job requirements.

In 2008, a twelve week programme in Nullagine prepared eleven employees to begin a fly-in, fly-out roster to our operations at Yandicoogina in the East Pilbara. The programme was run in partnership with Pundulmurra TAFE in South Headland and local training organisation, the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation. Participants studied literacy, numeracy, occupational health and safety, personal finance management and other work related skills as part of their prepartion for their new work roles.

"The resources industry, and Rio Tinto in particular who Pilbara TAFE often work in partnership with, is responsible for these positive outcomes for aboriginal employment," said Pundulmurra Director Alan Scott.

"The Nullagine program is a success because it has the backing of strong partners, and with Rio Tinto behind the course there is guaranteed jobs for aboriginal people at the end of it."