Construcciones Yamaro: Komatsu Training Academy elevates construction careers
The Komatsu Training Academy is setting new standards in career development for both current and aspiring construction and mining professionals.
In recent years, the construction industry has faced significant challenges, from a persistent skills shortage to the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and border closures. Komatsu, with its unwavering commitment to investing in its workforce, recognised the urgent need for a forward-thinking training solution. In response, the Komatsu Training Academy (KTA) was launched in 2017.
The KTA is more than just a registered training organisation (RTO); it’s a strategic initiative designed to upskill Komatsu’s workforce and the broader industry. By addressing the critical skills shortage head-on, the KTA is playing a crucial role in ensuring a robust future for the construction and mining sectors.
Janine Gurney, who joined Komatsu in 2016, is deeply passionate about the comprehensive training and development opportunities the KTA offers. As the general manager of strategic capability at Komatsu and CEO of the KTA, she has witnessed firsthand the transformation the academy has brought to the industry.
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“The evolution of the KTA, including our two purpose-built education training facilities in Brisbane and Perth, directly responds to the critical skills shortage in the construction and mining sectors,” says Gurney.
“Our mission is to train our technicians to the highest standards, equipping them with the skills needed to support our customers, maintain Komatsu machines and drive onsite productivity.
“Additionally, we extend our training opportunities to our customers and the broader industry, ensuring they recognise the Komatsu brand and maintain their Komatsu machines effectively to maximise performance and longevity.
“We are committed to equipping our apprentices and technicians with the skills needed for both the present and the future.”
The KTA offers a comprehensive mix of fully accredited, nationally recognised qualifications and individual units of competency, as well as specialised operator, technical and leadership training. Its suite of nationally recognised qualifications covers civil construction, mobile plant technology, auto electrical and fabrication, as well as Smart Construction and Autonomous Workplace and Remote Operations. These training offerings are available not only to Komatsu employees but also to its customers and the broader construction and mining industries, either online, onsite, at customers’ premises or at a Komatsu training facility.
Next-gen training hubs
Enhancing its training capabilities, the KTA boasts two state-of-the-art, purpose-built education training centres in Brisbane, Queensland and Perth, Western Australia.
The Komatsu Technical Education Centre (KTEC) in Brisbane is one of the most advanced technical training centres for mining, earthmoving and utility equipment in Australasia. It features seven training rooms, five technical/electrical laboratories, a large machine workshop and a virtual reality room. Additionally, the KTA has invested in a Smart Solutions Training room that focuses on innovative technologies in both Smart Construction and Smart Quarry applications. Technicians and operators learn geospatial, edge computing, drone surveying, machine calibration, network configuration and other future-focused skills critical to the correct operation of Komatsu auto dozers, semi-autonomous excavators and Smart Quarry Site systems. This enables businesses to increase efficiencies and operate their machines with millimetre accuracy.
“With this semi-autonomous equipment in the smart construction space, operators experience the future of automation,” says Gurney. “It’s about understanding how the technology works rather than being the best operator in the field.”
The second facility, KTEC Perth, opened its doors in January 2023. Komatsu invested $6 million to build this facility, plus another $2 million in fit-out, training aids and the latest technology. This highly interactive, technically advanced and globally connected facility is designed to establish career pathways into high-technology areas of autonomous and smart construction. Equipped with the latest equipment and technology, these facilities enable the KTA to deliver industry-leading training, including its award-winning Apprentice Program.
Transformative apprentice training
Komatsu offers a range of trade apprenticeship courses for the construction industry, including a Certificate III in Mobile Plant Technology, Certificate III in Automotive Electrical Technology, Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication Trade (boilermaking/welding) and Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations. Managed through the KTA, Komatsu’s Apprentice Training Program goes beyond technical skills, equipping apprentices with essential life skills. This approach ensures new industry entrants develop personal responsibility and awareness alongside their trade expertise.
This innovative program has achieved impressive results, with apprentices being six months ahead of their peers in traditional apprenticeships and gaining a one-year advantage by the end of their training. Apprentices spend the first three weeks of the program at a KTEC facility, learning from Komatsu’s training experts.
The workshops are designed to deliver hands-on training for both construction and mining class machines, ensuring that students gain practical skills and experience. Both training facilities also incorporate a number of simulators, so trainees can safely learn on a range of machines from small utility machines to ultra-class mining machines.
“Our Komatsu Apprenticeship Development Program doesn’t just focus on technical on-the-job skills,” says Gurney. “We also cover critical areas such as mental health awareness, public speaking, road safety, fatigue management, drug and alcohol awareness and business skills.”
“This holistic approach means that an apprenticeship with Komatsu can open doors to various career pathways, not just within Komatsu but in any roles they may choose.”
Komatsu plans to train 600 apprentices over the next two years, aiming to maintain its impressive 85 per cent retention rate, significantly exceeding the industry average of around 50 per cent, according to data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research.
“We’ve built award-winning apprenticeship programs because we want to ensure that they’re getting exposure to the next generation of technology, from driverless trucks to autonomous machines,” says Gurney. “It’s also about providing them essential life skills to ensure they are well-rounded tradespeople of the future.”
“Komatsu has been recognised for its commitment to training and development of our apprentices, winning the Australian Apprenticeships Employer Award at the 2023 Australian Training Awards.”
Customised learning
Beyond the Apprentice Program, the KTA offers technical programs that are product-specific for its customers. Operator and technician training courses available through the KTA cover a variety of mining, construction and utility machines, including backhoe/loaders, dozers, shovels, crushers, dump trucks, excavators (conventional and hybrid), graders and wheel loaders, as well as general systems and technologies. The KTA can also develop and tailor any training program to suit customers’ specific requirements.
“If a customer buys a WA1200-6 Wheel Loader, for instance, we deliver training based on that product,” says Gurney. “We provide all Komatsu customers with technical training specifically for the product they’re purchasing, considering their specific requirements.”
Through these courses, the KTA aims to deliver customers measurable and sustainable improvements in productivity, cost reduction, machine reliability and safety.
Elevating construction careers
Building on these training solutions, the KTA’s upgrade program focuses on upskilling existing technicians to become dual-traded professionals. For example, a mobile plant technician who is primarily focused on machinery maintenance can now expand their expertise to include electrical systems. As the industry moves towards electric and hybrid machines, technicians having both mechanical and electrical knowledge is becoming more crucial.
“Through this program, industry professionals have the opportunity to become dual-traded, so that they can perform multiple roles,” says Gurney. “This initiative is not only for our own employees but also for our customers.”
“We have delivered several upskilling programs that allow participants to earn additional qualifications, helping address the skills shortage in the industry.”
In response to the skills shortage, the KTA also focuses on upgrading mechanics from other industries. For example, light vehicle or heavy vehicle mechanics, who already have a foundational understanding of hydraulics and electrics, are upskilled to transition into the large mobile plant area of the construction industry.
“Through the KTA, we offer various programs and initiatives focused on upskilling and cross-skilling,” says Gurney. “As an original equipment manufacturer and RTO, we are exploring collaborative strategies to ensure a sufficient workforce to sustain the future of the construction and mining industries.”
The KTA exemplifies Komatsu’s broader commitment to safety, community engagement, career development and technological advancement. As technology rapidly evolves, the KTA strives to stay at the cutting edge, ensuring that both Komatsu employees and the wider construction industry are equipped with the highest standard of training. By continuously updating its facilities with the latest technology and focusing on future-oriented skills, the KTA is not just meeting the current demands of the industry but also preparing for its future needs.
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