The ILC's Training and Employment Initiative

Employment focussed training initiative on ILC properties

As part of its commitment to provide employment and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians the ILC Board has approved a major three-year employment focussed training initiative on ILC businesses to start in 2009. This is in addition to opportunities being generated through the ILC's land management and land acquisition activities.

The objectives are:

  • To employ 537 Indigenous people to undertake certificate level 1 & 2 traineeships between 2009 and 2011 in the pastoral and tourism industries with over 100 of these going on to certificate level 3 traineeships. Most of the traineeships will be for a twelve month period.
  • To place 160 of the graduates in ongoing jobs on ILC properties.
  • To place least a further 200 of the graduates in ongoing employment in mainstream pastoral, tourism and related industries in regional areas where there is a critical shortage of skilled labour.
  • As part of the project to employ a further 16 Indigenous people as training supervisors, mentors, cooks and trainers to support the trainees.

The initiative was launched by Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin and Workplace Participation Minister Brendan O'Connor in November 2008 (press release).

Background:

In the last two years, residential, employment-focused training projects have been developed on the following ILC commercial business properties:

  • Roebuck Plains (pastoral-beef) in Kimberley region of WA
  • Home Valley Station (pastoral/tourism) in Kimberley region of WA
  • Crocodile and Welcome Stations (pastoral-beef) in far north Queensland
  • Urannah (pastoral-beef) on the central Queensland coast
  • Murrayfield (pastoral-sheep) on Bruny Island in Tasmania

These properties provide residential training facilities so Indigenous training participants can be fully integrated into the day-to-day operations of the property.

These projects will be expanded over the next three years and new projects will commence at;

  • Bulimba Station (pastoral) in far north Queensland
  • Myroodah Station (pastoral) near Derby in north west Western Australia
  • Roelands  Village (tourism) near Bunbury in south west Western Australia
  • Gunbalanya (pastoral/abbattoir) Arnhem Land Northern Territory
  • Mimosa Station (pastoral) South East Queensland
  • Hodgson Downs (pastoral) near Katherine in the Northern Territory
  • Boundary Bend (citrus orchard) near Mildura on the Murray River in Victoria
  • Merepah Station (pastoral) near Coen Cape York Queensland
  • Mimosa Station (pastoral) south east Queensland

In addition three mobile camps will be established to provide training at various locations in Northern Australia.

The ILC has developed a training to employment model to be used on ILC business properties which:

  • Ensures training is effective and successful trainees move on to ongoing employment;
  • Integrates training with the real work activities where trainees are employed and paid a real wage;
  • Streamlines collaboration and engagement with State and Australian Government training and employment agencies and training providers.

A memorandum of Understanding established with DEEWR facilitates access to Indigenous employment and training program providers.

Key opportunities

 
  • Maximise employment and training benefits for Indigenous people through efficient and innovative use of the ILC commercial operations.
  • Assist the Government to achieve its objective to bridge the gap in employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
  • Contribute to the achievement of the Australian Employment Covenant's 50,000 jobs target.
  • Develop relationships with key mining, oil and gas industries to broaden employment opportunities for graduates from ILC businesses who do not wish to remain in the rural sector.
 

Positive impacts for both communities and individuals through:

  • Increase in self-esteem, confidence and competence through participation in the mainstream workforce.
  • Establish community role models, including development of leaders and managers into the future.
  • Create opportunity through income earning.
  • Reduce involvement in the criminal justice system.

Mainstream barriers to Indigenous training and employment

Mainstream industry and independent employers, especially in rural and remote Australia, are often not equipped nor have the infrastructure to engage with people who are not work-ready and who require intensive support. 

Access to State and Australian Government support programs is complex and the likelihood of many Indigenous people accessing and working through the processes and networks to develop the required skills is limited. The ILC is well placed to drive and coordinate the involvement of numerous stakeholders. 

Overcoming barriers to Indigenous training and employment

The ILC's training-to-employment model provides the resources to implement a pathway through these barriers by hosting employment based on life and work-skills training, individual capacity development, ongoing mentoring and employment outcomes simultaneously.

Key elements of the training to employment model are:

  • ILC commercial operations provide on-site resources, including personnel, residential accommodation and operational equipment on a scale that is not available through mainstream employers;
  • Nationally-recognised training packages, training standards and methodologies;
  • Intense mentoring during training and post-employment, such as life skills incorporating aspects of literacy, numeracy and money-management;
  • Close relationships with Indigenous communities for support and encouragement of trainees;
  • Collaboration with and coordination of State and Federal employment and training agencies, industry employers and service providers;
  • Career and leadership opportunities with the ILC and other employers.

Socio-economic benefits

Positive social benefits that will flow onto Indigenous communities and individuals include:

  • Increase in self-esteem, confidence and competence through participation in mainstream workforce.
  • Establishment of community role models, including development of leaders and managers into the future.
  • Creation of opportunity through income earning.
  • Reduced involvement in the criminal justice system.

Indigenous community support

Indigenous community support is critical to the retention of participants and their development in the early stages of the program:

  • Indigenous communities are called upon to provide leadership, encouragement and mentoring to individual participants. In many cases the families go through a significant transitional lifestyle change as they adapt to an environment associated with real employment, capacity development and working away from home.
  • As Indigenous participants progress through the program and become ILC or mainstream employees, they are encouraged to provide support as role models to other participants.
  • The initiative directly and indirectly employs Indigenous people ranging from onsite mentors, training supervisors, trainers, administrative assistants and cooks, all of which have an input into the day-to-day delivery of the program.

Training plans

Personal training plans are established during the six-week probationary period for each participant, and incorporate individual learning styles and needs, literacy and numeracy levels, and recognition of prior learning. Literacy and numeracy, including basic financial awareness, are critical components in personal development and attainment of recognisable competency, and are clearly linked to retention of individuals in the workforce.

Service Providers

Registered Training Organisations deliver formal training on each property.

Group Training Organisations employ the trainees and the ILC is the host employer. Participants are paid full award wages, provided with keep and accommodation while residing on-property, and where required, transported on a weekly basis to and from the property.

Further Information

For more detail or to register interest email darren.hall@ilc.gov.au or telephone (08) 8100 7119.

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