Jobfind’s Transition to Work (TTW) in Cairns is celebrating a rewarding employment and training partnership with Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. Based in Ayers Rock Northern Territory as well as Mossman George, Queensland, Voyages is having a significant impact on the professional career development of Jobfind’s indigenous youth.
Voyages & the National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA)
Voyages has a registered training organisation called the National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA) which combines both education and employment to empower a growing indigenous workforce. Voyages offers a Certificate III in Hospitality, Retail or Horticulture for indigenous trainees aged 18 to 24 at both Ayers Rock and Mossman Gorge. Complementing positions of employment while undertaking study consist of Room Attendants, Food & Beverage Attendants, Retail Assistants, Guest Services, Porters and Gardeners.
The positions offered by Voyages are full time live-in at both locations for a period of twelve months. All participants have access to subsidised comfortable accommodation. At Ayers Rock, it is within the Yulara residential community (managed by Voyages) which includes all utilities as well as a range of other employee discounts and benefits. Participants also have a range of services made constantly available to them from other Voyages teams including the Residential team, the Wellbeing team, NITA Training Team as well as the People & Culture team.
Voyages undertake a range of interviews and pre-health checks prior to offering new direct roles and traineeships. Applications are initially received via Jotform or Talent Inbox. Initial calls are made to confirm relocation, age and commitment to the program. Interviews are then conducted along with information sessions provided by the NITA Residential & Training Teams. Pre-Employment checks are then made prior to verbal offers and a new starter document being sent. Arrival details are then confirmed and shared with the NITA team for trainees to arrive to commence “O” (Orientation) Week.
Jobfind Celebrates Our Youth Enrolled at Voyages
Jobfind TTW currently has four youth participants at Ayers Rock. Three participants have just completed three months and one has completed six months. All participants are reporting back that they are enjoying the training and employment there. Jobfind TTW has seven new participants for Voyages Ayers Rock & nine for Voyages Mossman Gorge currently completing the employment assessments. Participants are coming from across the region including Yarrabah, Innisfail, Cairns & Atherton Table Lands and will hopefully be employed by June 2024.
Indigenous Youth Support for Success
Voyages support all employees to succeed. Voyages Talent Acquisition Lead and NITA Recruiter Anna Magee works closely with the Jobfind team from pre-registration enquiries right through to post-placement support. “Jobfind has given us some very good referrals” Anna reported back. Anna works closely with employment and education providers like Jobfind to find the most suitable young indigenous candidates for their traineeships. The result of these traineeships along with direct employment is that Voyages has a current 32% employment rate of indigenous to non-indigenous employees, a statistic they want to further increase.
Jobfind’s TTW Employer Engagement Officer in Cairns, Noel Tobias, works closely with Voyages as well as all prospective indigenous participants throughout the region. “You are not the same person I saw twelve months ago” is Noel’s comments on the change he sees in participants in the Voyages NITA traineeship program.
