Charles Darwin University will offer Indigenous high school students the chance to gain an understanding of the skills needed to work in a university environment.
The university has formed a partnership with Career Advice Australia and Local Community Partnerships (LCP) NT under its Adopt-a-School Program to develop programs that will see students across the Territory gaining work placements on campuses.
Students from high schools in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Jabiru, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Casuarina and Palmerston will be able to take part in work placement programs at nearby campuses this year.
The initiative is the result of a CDU’s Indigenous Work Experience Pilot Program last year in which Indigenous students underwent five-day work placements across the university’s faculties and divisions.
The placement included a CDU induction and exposed students to ‘hands on’ learning experiences, where they were introduced to and practiced a variety of office administration and reception skills.
Professor MaryAnn Bin-Sallik, Dean of Indigenous Research and Education, said the success of the pilot program meant the university was now able to form partnerships to extend its range.
She said the program initiative was in line with CDU’s Indigenous Employment Strategies and had been facilitated by People Management and Development (PMD).
PMD Director Celia Pollard said: ‘Our programs are designed to provide a dynamic and exciting learning environment in which Indigenous participants are encouraged to develop work skills and effectively increase their employment opportunities. Equally important are the insights students will gain about the working environment of the university.'
Partnerships between CDU and Local Community Partnership’s for the Adopt-a-School Program include YouthtraX in Alice Springs, YouthworX NT in Darwin and Darwin Rural, Rivers Region Youth Service Katherine and Tennant Creek and Jabiru LCP. As Nhulunbuy does not currently have a LCP, CDU will offer a separate partnership with Nhulunbuy High School.
Indigenous students supported by our Indigenous Academic Support Unit will have an opportunity to participate in either the Indigenous Pre-Work Program (Yr 10) or the Indigenous Work Placement Program (Yr 11 and Yr 12) which includes completing the unit ‘Communicate in the Workplace’.
In addition, there is an Indigenous Apprenticeship Program inviting expressions of interest from secondary school students and mature-aged people for a range of apprenticeships on offer at CDU campuses. Successful applicants will enter at a Certificate I level with the opportunity to advance to a Certificate II and III.
For more information about the partnerships contact Secondary School Liaison officer Trisha Kohlweg on 8946 6387 or email: trisha.kohlweg@cdu.edu.au