Charles Darwin University (CDU) has been discussing a new agreement for the provision of training and assessment services with mining company Energy Resources of Australia (ERA). This will soon be finalised, subject to input from ERA about its needs.
Following fruitful discussions with the Federal Minister for the Environment, CDU and the Jabiru Area School have been asked to develop a new Junior Ranger Program for Parks Australia North.
Students who wish to participate from Year 6 through to Year 9 will be given instruction within Kakadu National Park and at the school. Successful students will then be given the opportunity to enrol into the Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management with CDU either through a School Based Apprenticeship or a Vocational Education in Schools program. This will lead to employment opportunities as seasonal ranger positions within the park.
The students will then be given an opportunity to advance to a Public Service Ranger qualification that could enable them to work in any national park within Australia. This exciting five-year plan will be funded appropriately by the Commonwealth Government.
Course delivery
The extended wet season has meant that road access is still cut to some of the remote communities in Arnhem Land that CDU delivers training to.
This is no deterrent to the lecturers, however, who are still using alternative transport in the form of a light plane to carry out scheduled training. They have been delivering Certificate I in Retail Operations, Certificate I in Tourism (Australian Indigenous Culture), Certificate II in Information Technology and Certificate I in Access to Employment and Further Study at Oenpelli.
Road access should resume again in Semester 2.
Remote teams conference
Jabiru Centre Leader Geoff White joined other regional centre leaders, campus administrators and field officers at a two-day workshop at the Casuarina Campus in Darwin last week to meet and network with other CDU staff.
The conference was co-ordinated by the Director of Remote Co-ordination, Paul Fitzsimons. Attendees undertook training and professional development and planning as well as planning and developing strategies for moving the University forward in the regions.
Staff movements
Jabiru Centre Leader Geoff White will be taking leave during Semester 2 and Elizabeth Williams will be acting in the position.
Visit the Jabiru Centre website.