Beam Mobility newsroom
Beam promotes jobs growth in South Australia
Announcement posted by Beam Mobility 10 Nov 2019
New jobs created and new industries boosted by e-scooter company Beam
Getting an affordable and easy ride on an electric scooter is not the only benefit the growing industry has delivered to South Australia says the e-scooter company, Beam.
Since its success in being chosen to operate e-scooters in March of this year, the company has made Adelaide home and created brand new jobs in specialised functions uncommon in Adelaide's tech industry. It says it is also attracting new talent to South Australia, helping to arrest the historical trend of negative migration.
Since launching in South Australia, Beam has created 25 new jobs - a mix of full-time and part-time team members. This does not include the additional flexible economic opportunities to a group of 'Chargers' who are independent contractors that assist to charge the scooters.
Beam's Head of Public Affairs Brad Kitschke says that Beam is having a significant positive impact on jobs growth and that this is especially important when South Australia has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
"We have created new jobs in the following areas; General Management, Operations Specialists and Analysts, Marketing and Community Engagement, Warehouse Management, Mechanics, Marshalls and Logistics Specialists. "
"Roles like these don't often come about in the start-up and tech spaces based in Adelaide. Many of these functions are usually conducted in a satellite fashion from Sydney or Melbourne. We have chosen to sink roots into the community and ensure that our team is always local."
"A few weeks ago, I attended an event where the Premier spoke about his vision for South Australia's economy with a focus on four important areas; Exports, Technology, Migration to the State, and Job Creation. Our business ticks three of those four categories.
We have attracted talent, with members of our team who hail from overseas specifically choosing Adelaide, owing to the availability of these kinds of employment opportunities. We have created specialist tech roles not usually seen in Adelaide and we have a pathway to create many more if we are permitted to, Mr Kitschke said.
Operations Specialists, Nicole Ricciardi and Belle Lim examine use patterns in Adelaide CBD.
Nicole Ricciardi is American born and has previously held roles with PepsiCo and Mitsubishi but she says she jumped at the chance to take on a data-driven role at Beam.
"Jobs like this don't come around that often in the tech industry in South Australia. To run the business every day we are knee-deep in data, analysing trends with a focus on the most efficient ways to use our vehicles"
Belle Lim, a Singapore native, says that it's fantastic to be part of a growing company with a positive focus.
"I love it when I talk to my friends both overseas and interstate and tell them about what we are doing in Adelaide. It has definitely increased the interest that people in startups and tech have about moving to Adelaide, and it's awesome that these opportunities will be available for people who grew up here who won't need to move if they want to work in these fields."
Jobs growth and economic activity do not just come from the roles Beam employ directly. One such significant partnership Beam is focussing on is with Specialised Solar Solutions. The two companies are working together to design and build prototype solar-powered charging stations for e-scooters.
Mr Kitschke says that Specialised Solar Solutions had a background in designing furniture for playground and leisure areas like park benches. The two companies got together recognising the opportunity and need to incorporate solar charging in existing furniture for e-scooters, and promote new concepts for scooter charging.
"Specialised Solar Solutions already had a track record of designing new and innovative street furniture that is solar powered so that is a great start because in the future they should all be able to plug an e-scooter in and charge it.
We are also leading the industry by designing a prototype e-scooter charger that could work with our preferred parking stations. It makes sense that if we incentivise someone to leave the scooter in a specific location to keep the streets clean, they should also be able to plug it into a charger which has renewable energy as a power source."
"This focus is really about industry leadership. While the industry says it is sustainable, some companies are charging scooters with electricity generated from non-renewable sources and scooters have to be collected and transported which increases carbon emissions. If we can charge scooters on-site with dollar there is a dual benefit and we are living up to our sustainability promise."
As someone who grew up in South Australia, I know all too well the devastation that the closure of Mitsubishi South Australian manufacturing had on the economy and the impact it had on families.
We are really excited to be working with Bronte and his team at Specialised Solar Solutions to create new jobs in green industries for South Australian manufacturers. While at this stage we are just designing and developing prototypes, we hope that this is the start of a partnership that drives more economic growth and sees Bronte and companies like his export his designs and intellectual property as interstate and overseas jurisdictions look at the role of solar in the e-scooter industry. Mr Kitschke concluded.
Brad Kitschke
Head of Public Affairs
Brad@ridebeam.com