Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment Scheme MATES

1
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme (MATES)

• Providing Indigenous traineeship and cadetship
  opportunities

2
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES History

• Initiated by Department of Conservation and Land
  Management (CALM) in 2002
• Aims to help achieve 10-15 fulltime Indigenous
  employment within the Department by 2015.
• One part of a multi faceted training and
  employment strategy
• Aboriginal Traineeships
• National Indigenous Cadetships
• Cross cultural awareness
• Indigenous involvement through joint management
• First of its kind in the public sector

3
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES (NICP)

• National Indigenous Cadetship Project
• DEC and Department of Education, Employment and
  Workplace Relations (DEEWR) partnership
• Aims to improve the professional employment
  potential of Indigenous Australians studying at
  university
• Cadetship arrangement involving full time study
  (funded) and paid work placements with DEC to
  supplement tertiary studies

4
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES NICP

• Responsibilities
• DEEWR responsibilities
• Fund cadets study allowance (40 weeks per year)
• 1000 book subsidies per year
• DEC responsibilities
• Offer and fund each cadet up to 12 weeks annual
  work placement in relevant area of department
• Administrative support
• Mentoring support

5
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES NICP

• Benefits to Cadets
• Financial and administrative support throughout
  tertiary study
• Opportunity to gain relevant paid work experience
  within Department to supplement studies
• Opportunity to form networks with other employees
  of DEC
• Competitive applicant for full-time positions or
  for the DEC Graduate Recruit Program on
  successful completion of studies.

6
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES NICP

• Successes
• DEC currently has 4 cadets (1 deferred) with the
  aim of supporting up to 6 each year.
• DEC has sponsored 15 cadets since 2002
• 5 of these cadets still work full time in the
  department
• Currently an underdeveloped aspect of the MATES
  program, but one which has a great deal of
  potential

7
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES NICP

• Case studies
• Timothy Moore
• 2005 Graduate Murdoch University
• Bachelor of Science (Sustainable Development)
• A/Training Officer Dwellingup Training Centre
• Tina Bowers
• 2007 Graduate Edith Cowen University
• Bachelor of Science (Biological Science and
  Conservation Biology)
• Graduate Indigenous Officer, Foreshore Protection
  and Rehabilitation, Swan River Trust

8
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• In partnership with
• DEEWR Structured Training and Employment Project
  (STEP) year work based traineeships
• Department of Training (DET)
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI)
• BHPBilliton
• Bunuba Cattle Company (BCC)
• DEC funds and supports Aboriginal people through
  3-year traineeships

9
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Trainees study certificates II,III and IV in CALM
  (nationally accredited training package)
• Work centre based, combining work and study (8
  hours a week to study)
• Encourages Back to Country
• 19 work centres throughout the State have been
  involved
• Upon successful completion and good work
  performance, trainees guaranteed permanent
  appointment with DEC

10
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Strategies and support
• Aboriginal Heritage Unit (cultural knowledge and
  advice)
• Build on local relationships (employ locals,
  local Elders on selection panels)
• Integration of traditional land management
  practices
• Joint Management arrangements
• Cross Cultural Awareness training
• DEC is a Registered Training Organisation

11
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Strategies and support
• Corporate Executive support (implementation is
  easier, support across agency )
• Funding arrangements both internal and external
• Literacy and numeracy assessments are part of
  recruitment
• Appropriate workplace supervisor is chosen and
  formally inducted
• Qualifications are nationally accredited

12
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Strategies and support
• Centralised program Dwellingup Training Centre
  facilitates program
• Currently 5 employees work full-time on the MATES
  program
• Learning and Development Officers/Training
  Officers are employed to support, tutor and
  assess trainees qualified assessors.
• Provide quarterly site visits to trainees to
  assess studies, happiness and wellbeing

13
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Strategies and support
• Trainees and their supervisors inducted into each
  new certificate level
• Works program aligned with study requirements
• Consultative quarterly reporting mechanisms (Key
  Works Skills) to document progress
• 12 weeks of block training throughout
  traineeship to supplement studies
• Opportunity to attend MATES project work each
  year to assist with skill development

14
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Strategies and support
• Supervisor and Training Centre traits
  empathetic, approachable, available and
  consistent
• Consistent issue resolution process
• Annual graduation ceremony
• Annual award for Trainee and Supervisor of the
  year
• Mentors and support networks
• Employee Assistance Program
• Peer support

15
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Current statistics
• 65 trainees have been recruited since 2002
• 16 traineeship graduates, 11 of which currently
  have gained full-time work in the department
• Currently 21 trainees
• Annual recruitment of 12 trainees across the
  State
• 31 resignations and terminations
• 52 retention rate

16
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Current employment status
• 2.4 Aboriginal employment in CALM in 2002
• At time of department merge in July 2006
  Aboriginal employment in CALM was at 4.4
• Following merge and formation of Department of
  Environment and Conservation (DEC) Aboriginal
  employment was 3.3 (April 2007)
• As at December 2007, Aboriginal representation
  was approximately 2.8

17
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Awards
• 2003 Premiers Award for Leadership in Diversity
  and overall Premiers Award for Excellence
• 2004 National Diversity_at_work Award
• 2007 Ministers Award for Excellence for
  Employers of Australian Apprentices

18
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Hurdles
• Trainee wage and competition
• Accommodation in remote locations
• Personal issues
• Cultural differences
• Distance causes issues equity of standards and
  supervision
• Literacy and numeracy levels
• Transition to full time work
• Transition to Certificate IV

19
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Hurdles
• Very CALM centric (limits interested potential
  trainees)
• Outdated learning tools
• Need for better knowledge of mentoring and
  coaching Aboriginal people

20
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Opportunities
• Introduce work ready program into training
• Multiple exit points from the program Aboriginal
  Conservation Employees (ACE) program (exit point
  at completion certificate III)
• Overtime, fire duties, acting positions at
  certificate IV to subsidise wages
• Aboriginal Business Services Traineeships (not
  so CALM centric)

21
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Opportunities
• Updating learning tools
• Development of a Mentoring Aboriginal Trainees
  workshop
• Greater commitment to providing information on
  program to host work centres
• Continual commitment to Cross Cultural Awareness
  training for all staff

22
Mentored Aboriginal Training and Employment
Scheme MATES Aboriginal traineeships

• Case studies
• Ken Sandy
• Commenced traineeship in 2004 based at Millstream
  Chichester National Park
• Graduating from program 2008
• Recently successful in gaining a position as a
  ranger at Millstream Chichester National Park
• Phoebe Houghton
• Commenced traineeship in 2003 based in Kirup
• Graduated from program in 2006
• Trainee of the year 2006
• Currently working as a Ranger in Collie