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Apprentice Testimonials
Ashley Davis - Fitter First Class Machinist
In the time I have spent at Alcoa as a fitter and machinist I have had some of the best training with a very safety conscious company.
When I first started with Alcoa I was shown the basics of the trade and how to use the tools of the trade correctly and safely. My training alternated between fitting and machining, spending 3 months at a time in the different areas. As well as the 'on the job' experience, I attended TAFE one day a week for the first three years of my apprenticeship.
Some of the skills I learnt through my apprenticeship included complete overhauls of large gearboxes, pumps and air tools and many other types of machinery. In the machine shop, I learnt how to manufacture and repair parts to precise tolerances.
I see Alcoa as a great company to work for with excellent opportunities for apprentices to learn trade skills from the best tradesmen and women in the industry.
Kristina Madalena -Mechanical Fitter
My apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to work in a variety of areas.
I learnt to strip and rebuild many types of valves, pumps, gearboxes and air tools - all which are used out in the alumina refinery. It's great being able to fix equipment that I really didn't know much about when I first started. And it's satisfying to go out in the field to see something that you've helped to rebuild being used in the process of creating alumina.
The mechanical knowledge and skills I learned have been valuable outside of work as well. They've given me the confidence to pursue my dream of Drag Racing. I now pit crew in a racing team and have been having a go at driving myself.
Alcoa and its employees are very supportive of women working in the industry. They were eager to help solve any special problems I had so that when I finished my apprenticeship, I would leave confident in my ability and to a standard that I was proud of.
I feel fortunate to have worked with and learned from men and women with so much experience.
Adam Ellis - Fitter First Class Machinist
My training at the Pinjarra refinery has involved three monthly stints in the different areas of the workshop including the machining bay, the air tools workshop, and the mechanical fitting area. I learnt a great deal about my trade from the many experienced tradespersons in Alcoa - skills I would have never learnt anywhere else.
Alcoa gave us many opportunities to succeed during our apprenticeship, both on the job training and off. I had the opportunity to do additional studies in hydraulics, pneumatics and CAD A and B (computer assisted drawing), which combined with the experience and knowledge I gained at work, it has made me a better tradesperson with greater employment opportunities.
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