NTCA Indigenous Employment Program

Real Jobs Program (RJP)
Background

The Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) funded 45 Real Jobs pastoral positions in the Northern Territory (NT) during 2008/09/10. Positions were located at Indigenous Pastoral Program (IPP) properties as well as non Indigenous owned stations located throughout the Territory.

The ILC contracted the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association (NTCA) to facilitate the rollout of these positions, identify host employers and recruit suitable employees, deliver mentoring and provide accredited training with the aim of increasing the number of Indigenous people working in the pastoral industry.

Northern Pastoral Industry Employment and Leadership Program
(new Program, commencement 1 July 2010)

Objective
‘NPIELP is Funded by the ILC, managed by the NTCA towards clear long term objectives’.

The program’s objective is to deliver more than140 Indigenous employment outcomes over 3 years by building upon the current Federal Government funded Jobs Program through greater collaboration with key industry employers.

Rationale
The NT pastoral industry is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled and reliable labour. Opportunities now exist for Indigenous people to have an increasing role in the industry by meeting industry’s labour requirements. The program is uniquely placed and will continue to transition skilled and committed employees into mainstream positions on cattle stations.

Key Principles
The key principles underpinning the program will be:

• Engagement with key industry employers;
• The selection of appropriate employers and employees;
• Ongoing station based mentoring support in the work place;
• Industry recognised accredited training delivery;
• Transition into mainstream positions and career development and
• The development of leadership skills.

Program Delivery

Accredited Training
Employees are enrolled in a Certificate II in Beef Cattle Production delivered under a RTO agreement with Charles Darwin University (CDU).

Employees also receive training from their respective employers. This will particularly be the case with those located on the larger corporate stations. The NTCA will work with CDU to ensure employees receive formal recognition for such training.

A Leadership Project is part of the NTCA’s plan to develop Indigenous role models. Employees wanting to pursue a role in the Leadership Project will be given the opportunity to develop skills that will provide knowledge to mentor new Indigenous employees in the workplace.

Leadership Project employees will be given the opportunity to commence mentoring, literacy and numeracy training and enhance industry knowledge by taking part in various national and inter national field trips.

First Year Employment Positions
First year positions are located on large corporate stations. Participants are recruited from the NTCA’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry funded Schools/Youth Development Project and from existing networks such as IPP properties. Recruitment will continue to be conducted by NTCA field staff to ensure potential employees are committed and fully understand the expectations of the NTCA, the employers and the ILC.

Second Year Employment Positions
Upon the completion of year one, employees will continue to be provided with support and assistance and, depending upon individual skills, will move into a mainstream position or will fill one of the positions on Aboriginal owned cattle stations.

Graduates
Graduates will be encouraged to continue their employment on mainstream stations as third year employees. The employees will continue to be offered training organised by the NTCA and will be supported by NTCA field staff. Training provided to this employee group will focus on leadership, assisting them to pass on skills and knowledge to first and second year employees through the Leadership Project.

For more information please contact the following NTCA staff in your region:

Top End – Mick Armstrong on 0427 348 915
Barkly – Greg Vidler on 0488 658 151
Central Australia – Tony Freshwater on 0428 580 060
[W] www.indigenousemploymentprogram.com.au