Partnership to Help Indigenous job Seekers
Leading Australian employment service Mission Australia is teaming up with InterContinental Hotels Group.
They are working on an innovative new program to help boost indigenous employment in Australia’s hospitality industry.
Mission Australia employment solutions project manager Natalie Therese said the new joint Indigenous Employment Program aims to help tackle Indigenous unemployment by placing 60 indigenous job seekers in roles within IHG’s InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn hotels across Australia within the next twelve months.
The initiative funded by the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is the first nation-wide IEP partnership Mission Australia has entered into, following the success of a number of local IEPs in individual states.
“Across the country right now, Mission Australia has more than 3,700 Indigenous people registered as active job seekers. We see this nation-wide IEP as a step in the right direction towards tackling Indigenous unemployment right across Australia and we’re delighted to be working with one of the world’s leading hotel chains to do so.”
According to IHG chief operating officer Australasia, Bruce McKenzie, the Mission Australia initiative sets an example of the level of commitment required to create more education, employment and career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“We set a clear target of ensuring at least 3% of our Australian workforce is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders within three years, when we introduced the hospitality industry’s first Reconciliation Action Plan late last year. Our partnership with Mission Australia will help us make tangible progress toward realising that commitment.
Ms Therese said “Mission Australia will screen potential candidates and provide them with work ready training ahead of an interview with the local hotel.
“Successful candidates will then be signed up for a traineeship with IHG to achieve a Certificate III in Hospitality Operations, with training to be provided by leading training organisation Untamed Group. Mentors will also be assigned to the candidates to help them succeed in their new job and manage the challenges of their traineeship.”
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