Empowering local communities in Indonesia

Thiess progressed the Berbasies Program (Learning with Thiess), launched in 2022 as an education program, introducing the program at two technical high schools in North Sangatta and West Kutai.

Thiess progressed the Berbasies Program (Learning with Thiess), launched in 2022 as an education program, introducing the program at two technical high schools in North Sangatta and West Kutai. Supported by their Melak and Sangatta projects, the 12-month program runs once a week with students in grades 10 and 11 attending a Heavy Equipment Engineering class covering health and safety and the use of power tools.

To support the program delivery, seven Thiess employees also volunteered to become qualified trainers in 2023. 1,056 students have completed the program since it commenced in August 2022, providing them with practical skills and a good foundation to explore careers in technical and mechanical roles after high school. In 2024, Thiess will continue this initiative in West Kutai with three employees who will facilitate the program.

In 2023, Thiess also worked with local communities in East Kalimantan to enhance social value through their village-owned enterprises program in Kutai Kartanegara. The team identified seven villages in the region near the MSJ mine in Indonesia to launch the empowerment program, which supports local economic development and positive community engagement.

In 2023, approximately $109,000 has been invested into these villages through empowerment programs at the MSJ and Wahana mine regions. The program involves the procurement of goods and services to support village project needs, including construction materials and office consumables. It also helps strengthen key stakeholder relationships in the region.

In Satui, the Thiess Wahana team continued to support the program in Karya Makmur during 2023 by:
• delivering drinking water in the local area
• watering the coal hauling roads
• collecting domestic waste
• managing scrap metal.