Port Pirie business SJ Cheesman supporting next generation of apprentices through paid work experience

A skills shortage is severely hampering our regions from reaching their potential, but one business has taken matters into its own hands with great results.

Family-owned metal fabricating business SJ Cheesman has been a pillar of the Port Pirie community for more than a century.

The 115-year-old business specialises in heavy-plate fabrication and manufacturing, servicing the mining, smelting and processing sectors Australia-wide.

But like many regional businesses, SJ Cheesman has faced difficulty recruiting staff due to the nationwide skills shortage.

It’s a significant hurdle to the company’s ambitions to keep growing and “chase more work statewide”.

The business has not sat idle though, innovating and introducing paid work experience opportunities for students in 2020 in a bid to attract talent.

SJ Cheesman managing director Hugh Richter, 36, whose family has owned the business since 1988, said the company was keen to keep driving regional growth.

“We want to keep building on what we’ve got and keep growing the business here,” he said.

“It’s going to be tough to grow with the skills shortage but (initiatives like) the State Government putting in schools up at Port Augusta will help bring more kids through who are hopefully interested in the industry.”

Hugh Richter, managing director of 115-year-old Port Pirie steel fabrication business SJ Cheesman. Picture: Ben Clark

Mr Richter said their paid work experience program was achieving great results.

“Students come in over the summer school holidays and do two weeks paid work experience and then we let them decide if that’s a career path that they want to take,” he said.

“We think it's a better idea if you want to be a boilermaker, it’s pretty hot here in summer, come in and test yourself to see what you think before signing up.

“It gives them a chance to see in the real world what money is there, what the jobs are like and if they like it and want to stay on then there’ll often be an apprenticeship offer.”

The business currently employs nine apprentices ranging from students who have stayed on to become apprentices and mid-range apprentices.

“It’s worked well and helps the kids that might be nervous by giving them a chance to settle in and have a look around instead of jumping in headfirst not knowing if they’ll like it,” Mr Richter said.

Anthony Albanese, Travis Hillier, Hugh Richter and Antonio Albanese at SJ Cheesman in Port Pirie. Picture: Ben Clark

“Our apprentices have so much knowledge and experience on offer from some of the best in the industry here.

“Technology coming into the industry and state are going to be a big thing and it’s going to be those technologies that (help) advance places like ours and bring them into the future which is going to be interesting.”

Mr Richter said it’s great to be part of a business with a “good family atmosphere” that brings everyone together.

“The whole town (of Port Pirie) is tight knit and the boys that do work here definitely are too,” he said.

“The ones that have been here for years enjoy what they do here and what we all do together which makes it fun for us all.”