We recently caught up with Mike Simms on his emerging company, Wyndcorp.
For the last 15 years, Mike has run the successful WA-wide
bus hire company, Northfleet.
Seeing a gap in the market, Mike decided it was time for a different approach and set up Wyndcorp to provide bus hire services in Newman. The company is majority indigenous-owned with depots in Karratha, Kalgoorlie, Hedland and Newman.
Wyndcorp is backed by Northfleet which has provided access to its old depot at the entrance of Mt Whaleback. Wyndcorp is currently setting up its workshop, interviewing for a workshop manager and seeking to partner with local Indigenous corporations. Mike expects they would be looking for more trainees by December.
Mike says “I want this to be real training. Our apprentices will have Indigenous mentors to walk alongside them the whole way. We will have some allowances for our trainees. If they need to go on country for a while, they can work with
their mentors on this and we hope to be able to
accommodate them.”
Wyndcorp’s first apprentice, Michael Rodney, started in Newman earlier this year and says “I started as a trainee then they took me on as a heavy duty diesel fitter apprentice. There’s a lot of support here. The senior mechanics are very experienced. And they keep an eye on you and look after you”.
