Hospitality trainees STEP into Indigenous jobs

Indigenous job seekers who are part of an innovative Australian Government funded training program will play an important role at the bi-annual Australian Football League game between an Aboriginal All Stars team and the Adelaide Crows in Darwin.

Trainees undertaking a four-week hospitality course will provide food and beverage service at TIO Stadium to patrons attending tomorrow night’s Australian Football League game.

The Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor, and the Member for Solomon, Damian Hale, today joined players from the Adelaide Crows and the Aboriginal All Stars and met with participants of the program.

“Tomorrow night’s game is predicted to be a blockbuster with more than 10,000 people expected to fill TIO stadium and watch two great teams go head to head,” Mr O’Connor said.

“And football and meatpies are just about as Australian as it gets. These trainees will get fantastic first hand experience of working in a busy environment.

“This project is providing real opportunities for Indigenous people to gain employment in the hospitality and retail industry and to secure a better future.

“Tourism and hospitality is a major industry in the Northern Territory and contributes more than $600 million to the economy and employs around 11,000 people.”

Darwin-based Karen Sheldon Catering manages the project and provides participants with four weeks pre-employment training and twenty-six weeks mentoring and support once they are placed into employment.

Mr O’Connor said the pre-employment course had been successful with 11 out of 12 participants of the previous program now employed.

The Australian Government has provided $186,000 for the program under the Indigenous Employment Program which funds employers to help them recruit Indigenous Australians into their workforce.

“Through projects such as this, the Australian Government is ensuring that Indigenous employment opportunities are initiated and supported at the local community level and is working towards closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment within a decade.”