Applications open for new Aboriginal Traineeship Program

The Department of Communities and City of Fremantle have announced a new joint training initiative for Aboriginal youth.

With the relocation of Communities’ head office to Fremantle in 2020, the initiative is part of the ongoing strategy to look for collaborative engagement opportunities within the Fremantle community.  

Participants will enrol in a 12-month program based in Fremantle, working in both local and state government, and be awarded a Certificate III in Business on successful completion of the traineeship. 

Applications are open to Aboriginal youth aged 24 and under.

Fremantle Deputy Mayor Andrew Sullivan said the program would build on the City’s efforts to provide more employment opportunities to Aboriginal people.

“Aboriginal people make up about 1.6 per cent of Fremantle’s population, but in 2014 Fremantle Council set a target to have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples making up at least four per cent of the City’s employees,” Cr Sullivan said.

“I’m pleased to say that many of the young people we engaged through our previous Aboriginal trainee program are now employed as permanent staff.

“Through our Walyalup Reconciliation Action Plan we are committed to increasing the employment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, as well as encouraging other local organisations and businesses to develop effective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategies in collaboration with the City.”

Under the new program the Department of Communities will employ the trainees and City of Fremantle will host trainee rotations through the organisation.

As part of the local engagement strategy, South Metropolitan TAFE will be the local provider supporting the competency development and assessment for the traineeship.

Successful candidates for the traineeships will need to show a willingness to learn new skills and actively participate in the program as well as an ability to work as a team member and demonstrate developed communication and time-management skills.

Applications are now open and will close on Friday 28 May 2021. The traineeship period will commence on Monday, 19 July 2021.

Interested applicants should contact Strategic Human Resource, Department of Communities via email: [email protected] or apply for the roles via jobs.wa.gov.au.