Indigenous trainees showcase their work
Published Wednesday, 26 March, 2008 at 05:40 PM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
A Main Roads program giving Indigenous trainees opportunities to gain conservation and land management skills was showcased in Brisbane today.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt unveiled the landscaping and revegetation program at Tarragindi today.
A joint Main Roads, Greening Australia and Jagera Daran Pty Ltd initiative, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship to Employment Program offers 12-month traineeships for local Indigenous people, as well as opportunities for long-term employment with Main Roads.
Mr Pitt said the work completed at Tarragindi showed the ongoing success of the year-long traineeship program, which had reached its halfway mark.
“As well as completing a Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management, these trainees have learnt practical landscaping skills and done an excellent job beautifying several Main Roads-owned green areas around Brisbane," he said.
"While there's still a lot of work ahead of them before they receive their full qualifications, the trainees are gaining valuable hands-on knowledge along the way."
At Tarragindi, the trainees have carried out landscaping and replanting to enhance facilities for the local community and improve safety for users of the adjacent bikeway.
Mr Pitt said the program was a Brisbane first for Main Roads, which has run similar successful employment and training partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around the state.
“Further north, projects such as the Thomson River bridge near Longreach and the Split Rock Inca Alliance on the Barkly Highway have proven the benefits of these partnerships,” Mr Pitt said.
"I hope this Brisbane-based program will prove similarly successful, helping form stronger links between the government and local Indigenous communities, and building greater capability among Indigenous Queenslanders."
The traineeship initiative was launched in October 2007 to open new career possibilities for Indigenous people. The program aims to increase the pool of skilled landscaping and maintenance workers in Brisbane as well as providing possible long-term employment opportunities for participants with Main Roads.
Trainee Christopher Dargin found out about the traineeship through his brother-in-law, who is also undertaking the traineeship. Christopher said the traineeship was an invaluable opportunity, providing job prospects and qualifications.
“Before starting this traineeship, the majority of us didn't have any qualifications. This was a chance for us to work outside our local communities, and step into the big wide world,” Christopher said.
“I really enjoy this type of work and want to keep working in landscaping. After I finish the traineeship, I plan to do a Certificate IV.”
Fellow trainee Roy Ober, who has come from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait, said he was building on his cultural knowledge of the natural environment.
“I want to continue working in landscaping after the traineeship, and combine my knowledge of Indigenous and western agricultural methods to improve the environment,” Roy said.
"When our ancestors looked after the land, everything was in balance; now everything is up and down. I want to help restore the balance. The traineeship is great and I have recommended it to two of my cousins.”
The traineeship initiative began last year after representatives from local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities approached Main Roads seeking opportunities to help develop community training and improve employment prospects for Indigenous communities in Brisbane.
Main Roads teamed up with Greening Australia and Jagera Daran Pty Ltd, a company owned and operated by the Jagera people, to launch the pilot traineeship, which could become an ongoing program in the future.
Valuable financial support has also been provided by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations’ Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and Construction Skills Queensland.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt unveiled the landscaping and revegetation program at Tarragindi today.
A joint Main Roads, Greening Australia and Jagera Daran Pty Ltd initiative, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship to Employment Program offers 12-month traineeships for local Indigenous people, as well as opportunities for long-term employment with Main Roads.
Mr Pitt said the work completed at Tarragindi showed the ongoing success of the year-long traineeship program, which had reached its halfway mark.
“As well as completing a Certificate III in Conservation and Land Management, these trainees have learnt practical landscaping skills and done an excellent job beautifying several Main Roads-owned green areas around Brisbane," he said.
"While there's still a lot of work ahead of them before they receive their full qualifications, the trainees are gaining valuable hands-on knowledge along the way."
At Tarragindi, the trainees have carried out landscaping and replanting to enhance facilities for the local community and improve safety for users of the adjacent bikeway.
Mr Pitt said the program was a Brisbane first for Main Roads, which has run similar successful employment and training partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around the state.
“Further north, projects such as the Thomson River bridge near Longreach and the Split Rock Inca Alliance on the Barkly Highway have proven the benefits of these partnerships,” Mr Pitt said.
"I hope this Brisbane-based program will prove similarly successful, helping form stronger links between the government and local Indigenous communities, and building greater capability among Indigenous Queenslanders."
The traineeship initiative was launched in October 2007 to open new career possibilities for Indigenous people. The program aims to increase the pool of skilled landscaping and maintenance workers in Brisbane as well as providing possible long-term employment opportunities for participants with Main Roads.
Trainee Christopher Dargin found out about the traineeship through his brother-in-law, who is also undertaking the traineeship. Christopher said the traineeship was an invaluable opportunity, providing job prospects and qualifications.
“Before starting this traineeship, the majority of us didn't have any qualifications. This was a chance for us to work outside our local communities, and step into the big wide world,” Christopher said.
“I really enjoy this type of work and want to keep working in landscaping. After I finish the traineeship, I plan to do a Certificate IV.”
Fellow trainee Roy Ober, who has come from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait, said he was building on his cultural knowledge of the natural environment.
“I want to continue working in landscaping after the traineeship, and combine my knowledge of Indigenous and western agricultural methods to improve the environment,” Roy said.
"When our ancestors looked after the land, everything was in balance; now everything is up and down. I want to help restore the balance. The traineeship is great and I have recommended it to two of my cousins.”
The traineeship initiative began last year after representatives from local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities approached Main Roads seeking opportunities to help develop community training and improve employment prospects for Indigenous communities in Brisbane.
Main Roads teamed up with Greening Australia and Jagera Daran Pty Ltd, a company owned and operated by the Jagera people, to launch the pilot traineeship, which could become an ongoing program in the future.
Valuable financial support has also been provided by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations’ Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, and Construction Skills Queensland.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819