Aboriginal Pathways to Water Operations is a two-week, culturally safe program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build practical skills, explore career opportunities and prepare for work in water operations.
Participants have been selected from across the Mid North Coast to complete the program in Port Macquarie throughout September, with training delivered by Fusion Training Solutions. As part of the program, participants will visit a range of sites and hear from community leaders and industry professionals, including locally at MidCoast Council’s Bootawa Dam and Water Treatment Plant.
The program provides participants with practical water operations experience, nationally recognised training units, workplace visits, guest speakers, mentoring and support with resumes and job applications.
The program includes participants from the Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kempsey and MidCoast areas.
The program has already demonstrated strong outcomes following a pilot program earlier this year with Shoalhaven Council, helping create a pipeline of Aboriginal candidates who are job-ready and interested in careers in the water industry.
Aboriginal Pathways to Water Operations is a pre-traineeship pathway. It provides introductory water industry training and prepares participants to apply through normal recruitment processes for Council trainee and apprentice opportunities in water operations.
While the program does not guarantee employment or a traineeship, it aims to give participants the skills, knowledge and confidence to become strong candidates for upcoming traineeship opportunities.
The course is being run by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water and is being delivered in partnership with the NSW Government, Aboriginal Affairs NSW and the NSW Water Directorate. Funding partners include the NSW Office of Local Government under the Fresh Start Program and Training Services (NSW Department of Education).
