The first two students mentored through CDU under the Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Cadetship Program graduated this week.
Lorraine Martin received a Bachelor of Governance and Public Sector Management, and Delean Holtze a double degree in Teaching and Arts at this week’s mid-year graduation ceremonies.
It’s the end of a long and demanding journey for both women.
Lorraine began studying at CDU in 2004 and Delean in 2006, and both have triumphed over adversities to reach their goals.
As busy single mums, the women regularly hit the books well into the night to keep up with the workload.
“I would study seven days a week and quite often still be up writing assignments at 3am,” Delean said.
“It was really hard work to get through the course, but to be honest it just makes it feel all the more special now I’ve graduated,” she said.
And Lorraine is equally elated about graduating.
“I’m just so pleased that I’ve finally finished and have achieved my goal,” she said.
As soon as they finished studying, they immediately started full-time jobs.
Lorraine is pursuing her passion as an Indigenous Employment Officer with the NT Government’s Department of Justice. Part of her position is to facilitate the Cadetship program as well as encourage education, training and employment to attract and retain future prospective Indigenous people and employees for the agency.
“I am hoping that through my work, I can become a role model to motivate other Indigenous people into the NT public sector so that, ultimately, we see Indigenous people better represented throughout the Australian workforce,” she said.
After a successful work placement at Kormilda College, Delean has taken up a teaching post there in the English and Humanities department.
“I’m just really grateful that my journey has come to this,” Delean said.
“I’ve always felt really supported by the Vice-Chancellor. I mean, where else would a student get a one-on-one meeting with the VC?
“I think it’s great that this cadetship program can enable Indigenous students through a degree at CDU,” she said.
For information about the Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Cadetship Program, visit W: www.cdu.edu.au or contact senior consultant - Indigenous employment Karen McLean P: (08) 8946 6492 E: karen.mclean@cdu.edu.au