Regional Development Australia Yorke and Mid North’s (RDA YMN) Heavy Industry Multi Skills (HIMS) Program, has been recognised at the highest level, taking out the Industry Collaboration category at the 2026 South Australian Training Awards on Friday 11th September 2026.
The award recognises the longstanding collaboration between RDA YMN, industry partners, training providers, mentors, employment services and community supporters who have worked together since 2019 to create genuine training and employment pathways for people across Port Pirie and surrounding communities.
HIMS was established in direct response to regional skills shortages and industry demand for candidates who possessed not only technical skills and qualifications, but the behaviours, attitudes and workplace readiness needed to succeed in heavy industry.
Far more than a traditional training program, HIMS operates as a simulated workplace environment, giving participants practical exposure to the expectations of industry while completing nationally recognised training and developing employability skills, confidence and workplace behaviours.
Since 2019, HIMS has supported more than 120 participants, achieved more than 100 successful completions, and seen more than 80% progress into employment.
RDA YMN Chief Executive Officer Daniel Willson said the award was significant recognition of the collective effort and shared commitment behind the program.
“HIMS demonstrates what can happen when regional industry, training providers and community organisations come together with a shared commitment to solving workforce challenges and creating genuine opportunities for local people,” Mr Willson said.
Industry collaboration has been central to HIMS from the beginning. With industry partners actively helping to shape its design and delivery, provide workforce intelligence, open their workplaces for site visits, participate in guest presentations and mock interviews, connect participants with employment opportunities and continue to invest their time, expertise and resources in its success.
This involvement ensures HIMS remains responsive to changing workforce needs and gives participants direct exposure to employers, workplaces and the expectations they will encounter in industry.
The success of the model is also extending beyond Port Pirie with HIMS now being delivered in Whyalla, while key elements of the model are being adapted through RDA YMN’s Career in Care and Pathways to Childcare programs.
The Industry Collaboration Award was presented at the 2026 South Australian Training Awards Gala Presentation at the Adelaide Convention Centre on 11 September.
Larissa Mackrill, HIMS Program Coordinator, thanked the many industry partners, training providers, mentors, employment services, employers and supporters who have contributed to HIMS since its inception, along with the participants whose commitment and determination remain at the heart of the program.
The South Australian win marks another significant milestone in the HIMS journey, with the collaboration now progressing to the Australian Training Awards in Sydney in November, where it will represent South Australia on the national stage.
To find out more about the HIMS program, click here.