Release type: Media Release

Date:

Indigenous Australians prepare for jobs in Government

Ministers:

Senator the Hon Mark Arbib
Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development
Minister for Sport
Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness

Sixty-eight Indigenous Australians have moved one step closer to a career in the public service, graduating today from the Indigenous Australian Government Development Program.

Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Mark Arbib said the graduates had excelled in their training and work experience.

“The Government Development Program is a fantastic way for Indigenous Australians to gain accredited training and work experience in the public sector,” Senator Arbib said.

“The participants have successfully completed a Diploma of Government with the Canberra Institute of Technology Solutions majoring in contract management, project management or community capacity.

“It is not just training for training sake. The training and diploma will ensure the 68 participants are in a great position to start a job with a Government agency.”

Senator Arbib said the 12 month program was established by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and had the support of 10 partner agencies.

“This program has had the support of the Australian Federal Police, Centrelink, the Departments of Defence, Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Finance and Deregulation, Human Services, Resources, Energy and Tourism, Veterans Affairs, Infrastructure and Transport and DEEWR,” Senator Arbib said.

“All the agencies involved understand how important Indigenous employment is to the Australian public service.

“This is a very practical way of reaching the Government’s target of 2.7 per cent Indigenous representation across the public service by 2015.”

Senator Arbib said Treasury predicted 500,000 jobs would be created over the next two years and it was critical that Indigenous Australians had the support and training they needed to take up employment.

“Indigenous employment is not a short term issue. Over the next four years the Government has also committed almost $650 million to the Indigenous Employment Program,” Senator Arbib said.

“This is part of the Gillard Government’s target to create more than 100,000 jobs for Indigenous Australians by 2018.”