Aboriginal Employment Strategy celebrates trainee graduates at Penrith Panthers

The Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) proudly hosted a graduation lunch last November, at Penrith Panthers in Western Sydney. The event marked the culmination of hard work and dedication by 32 full-time trainees and 11 school-based trainees who successfully completed their formal traineeship program which included an industry recognised qualification.

 

A total of 43 young people from diverse communities all over New South Wales and Queensland, including Tabulam, Little Bay, Mt Druitt, Tamworth, Moree, Dubbo, Kempsey, Brisbane, Ipswich, Grafton, Armidale, and Newcastle, graduated in 2023. This achievement reflects the commitment of AES to providing career opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals in diverse industries and various regions.

 

Business Services trainee graduate Miranda Simpson from Dubbo worked with National Australia Bank (NAB) during her traineeship. The Year 12 community leader overcame many obstacles during her program with the support of AES and NAB.

 

Miranda said the benefits of the school based traineeship had included gaining long time friendships, engaging and helping her community and mob, becoming a positive and confident role model, growing as a person, and staying educated for her family.

 

Miranda Simpson was presented with the 2023 AES School Based Trainee of the Year at the graduation ceremony.

 

Chloe Davis, a full-time Health Trainee graduate from Sydney, spoke on behalf of the graduating trainees at the event.

 

‘Not only do we get to improve our knowledge and skills in class but to also be able to step into the workforce and feel confident with the care we provide for our people in our communities is even better,’ Chloe said.

 

‘I’m so proud of our journey throughout the traineeship – and I’m so proud of our class and how far we have come,’ she said. 

The traineeship program offered by AES covers a range of qualifications, including business services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care, warehousing, work place skills, community services, construction, information technology and financial services. The diverse skill sets acquired by the graduates reflects the commitment of AES to providing comprehensive training opportunities that align with the evolving needs of the workforce.

 

The graduation ceremony also showcased the success of AES's partnerships with esteemed host employers, including the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council, local Aboriginal medical services, Westpac, NAB, ARTC Inland Rail, CBA, Kempsey Shire Council, and Sandvik Mining and Construction. These collaborations played a crucial role in shaping the career paths of the graduates and fostering their professional growth.

 

Notably, this year's graduation also marks the 20th anniversary of AES Group Training. As a licensed group training company, AES has been a strong supporter of traineeships and apprenticeships for two decades. Over this period, the organization has proudly supported over 2,500 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals in their pursuit of meaningful careers.

 

The Aboriginal Employment Strategy is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) to deliver the traineeship program, Indigenous skills and employment program.