Close co-operation last week between Centrelink, Joblink Plus and the Endeavor Mine’s human resources department ensured Cobar’s retrenched miners received valuable advice and in a number of incidental offers of other jobs during an interactive four-day forum at the town’s Bowling and Golf Club.

Centrelink staff from Bourke travelled to Cobar for the special forum and information days which enabled the retrenched miners to receive the best possible support in finding other employment and/or gaining financial advice and family assistance packages.

Regional Centrelink manager Mick McDowell said affected workers were able to take advantage of the information days to discuss their personal issues and receive advice to help them through their difficult time.

“We understood this was a very difficult time for the affected workers and their families,” Mr McDowell said.

“Obviously, getting another job was a top priority, but it was important for workers and their families to know that Centrelink would do all it could to offer support.

“Centrelink’s staff worked closely with the Endeavor Mine and a range of local job service providers to ensure the workers had the best possible support in finding other employment.

“We also had our financial information service providing independent information on a range of topics including eligibility for income support assistance.”

Endeavor Mine’s human resources representative Jim Grbevski said the four-day event was essential to help redundant employees obtain other jobs as quickly as possible.

Vital assistance at the forum was provided by a number of important mining and industrial companies which enabled individuals to discuss future job opportunities.

“The reason behind the forum was to introduce companies from outside of Cobar and give our retrenched employees the opportunity to be placed as soon as possible,” Mr Grbevski said.

“Basically, the companies which included BHP Billiton, Chandler MacLeod, Cadden Crowe and Leightons Holding were impressed with the calibre and motivation of the candidates.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because it is very rare to attract a top 20 company to attend a town the size of Cobar and yet three of those were involved in our forum.

“I think we have achieved what we set out to achieve and that was to provide the best possible assistance to the retrenched employees.”