Business
31 July, 2024
Staff key to firm’s win
Quicksilver Group named large employer of year at training awards
THE Quicksilver Group – which also operates from Port Douglas – has been recognised as Tropical North Queensland’s ‘large employer of the year’ in the 2024 regional Queensland Training Awards.
As one of North Queensland’s largest private employers, the Quicksilver Group employs 500-plus across the company’s Port Douglas, Cairns and Green Island operations, fostering professional development in a broad cross section of jobs and career opportunities.
“We are a very customer-focused business and we’re absolutely delighted to receive this award that recognises our staff, and long-term commitment to supporting staff development and training,” said Quicksilver Group managing director Tony Baker.
“This includes school-based traineeships, apprenticeships and in-house programs across the many facets of the company, such as ship crew to customer service, dive instructors, catering, engineering, environmental, hospitality, financial and corporate support,” he said.
“We also work with providers such as National Job Link and last year employed five First Nations trainees at our Green Island Resort operation.
“Investing in employee development helps to foster a positive work environment which, not only benefits staff, but also our guests and business goals, and ultimately results in increased retention.
“In fact, over 20 per cent of our workforce have been with Quicksilver for more than 10 years.”
Mr Baker said the Quicksilver Group was very much part of the community and the philosophy of supporting staff development also extended to the children of employees with a special long-term initiative implemented in 2011.
He said the Quicksilver Group Scholarship Program was aimed at assisting children of employees with the commitment and cost of university education to follow their dreams with tertiary education opportunities.
The Quicksilver Group will now represent the Tropical North Queensland region in the state finals to be held in Brisbane next month.
The Quicksilver Group is Australia’s largest Great Barrier Reef cruise operator and a pioneer of environmentally-sustainable tourism.
The company offers a collection of experiences from small and personalised to world acclaimed outer reef cruises. With over 500 local employees, the company’s products include Quicksilver’s Outer Reef and Wavedancer Low Isles cruises, Great Adventures’ reef and Green Island cruises, Silver Series and Poseidon dive and snorkel adventures, Ocean Spirit Michaelmas Cay sailing, diver training and liveaboard trips with Pro Dive Cairns and Quicksilver Dive, and the boutique eco Green Island Resort.
