Our team recently had the pleasure of welcoming South Metropolitan TAFE (SM TAFE) Lecturer Andy Ranford to Yara Pilbara as part of the TAFE College Lecturer Industry Placement (CLIP) Program. This initiative has a clear and powerful purpose: to give lecturers real-world, on-site experience so their teaching reflects the realities of industry, not just what’s written in a textbook.
Andy’s experience on-site
For Andy, the few days on site were invaluable. He walked the plant with our team, stepped into the control room, and heard firsthand from operators, DCS controllers, supervisors, and process engineers. The Yara team generously shared their time, knowledge, and stories, leaving a lasting impression.
A decade of partnership
Programmed Apprenticeships and Traineeships and Yara have worked together for more than a decade, creating training pathways that have supported nearly 100 apprentices and trainees into local careers. In December, we’ll celebrate a major milestone: welcoming our 100th apprentice/trainee to site. Many who joined us in the early years are now qualified operators, maintainers, and leaders at Yara. Andy saw some of these success stories in action, a proud moment for everyone involved.
ACEPT: training for tomorrow
The Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training (ACEPT) at SM TAFE’s Munster campus plays a central role in this pathway. Here, trainees build foundational knowledge through the Certificate III in Process Plant Operations, learning practical skills such as pump operations, isolations, permit-to-work systems, emergency response basics, and safe plant procedures. Training takes place in a world-class simulated plant environment, giving trainees the confidence and hands-on experience they need for future roles.
Connecting the classroom and industry
Our Process Plant Operations trainees attend SM TAFE throughout their two-year program, progressing through their qualification while gaining real-world, on-the-job learning at Yara. Andy’s placement strengthens that connection, helping him bring greater context, realism, and relevance back into the classroom for current and future trainees.
“I’ve gained so much from that short visit, which will aid in my delivery to the trainees. It was great to see how welcoming everyone was, and to see some of the ex-trainees now building their careers at Yara.”
Looking ahead
A big thank you to the Yara Pilbara team for opening your doors, and to the Process Plant Operations team at SM TAFE for their continued partnership and commitment to developing the next generation of local talent.
Here’s to our next milestone, and to continuing to build strong, long-term pathways for the Pilbara workforce.
