The innovative partnership between BMA, the Coalfields Training Excellence Centre and BRAKE has seen young apprentices across the Central Highlands educated in Drive Awareness.

Over three days Steve Allen from BRAKE worked with first year apprentices from Blackwater, Dysart and Moranbah to give them an insightful look into the cognitive awareness required when driving.

The program was part of the BMA first year apprentice program as was overseen by Melissa Westcott from TM3 Training Solutions and Kym Frost from BMA.

“Apprentices can miss work because they or their family and friends being involved in road crashes,” said Steve Allen after the courses had been successfully concluded.

“Like all young drivers, they tend to overestimate their skills and under estimate the risks involved in driving. When you add on the extra risks of driving long distances to and from work on country roads, you have a situation where BRAKE’s unique training methods can do a lot of good”.

“This program was an amazing step forward in linking school training and industry training,” explains Melissa Westcott – Central QLD BRAKE Coordinator.

“The continued reinforcement from high school to the workplace ensures that the message is being taken in by young people. This transition into workplace training ensures that the young people have an additional reinforcement after a small time of driving,” said Melissa.
BRAKE is supported in Central QLD by QMEA and Coalfields Training Excellence Centre and TM3 Training Solutions.