Indigenous Employment Program
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Indigenous Employment Program: A Step Towards Providing Jobs

Indigenous Employment Program

Despite the 2008 ‘Close the Gap’ framework, there is still an apparent big employment gap between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians. To close that gap, programs continue to be implemented by both the government and not-for-profit organisations, which emphasise the importance of education to enhance the chance of aboriginal Australians gaining meaningful jobs. Moreover, Australia’s indigenous employment program, IAGDP (Indigenous Australian Government Development Program), helping Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people interested in working in the APS (Australian Public Service).

The indigenous employment program aims to improve the employment outcomes, opportunities, and experiences for all indigenous Australians in the APS. They value the skills, unique life experiences, and capabilities of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal employees, and draw from those, too. Thus, they are committed to developing a versatile and talented workforce. Applications are open annually between April and May for roles that will commence in February of the following year. Positions are typically available in large regional centres, some capital cities, and Canberra.

The indigenous employment program is a critical step toward providing more jobs to an underappreciated community. The program has many benefits, such as providing structured development and learning to help indigenous people build a career in the APS and possibly in other industries. The program also supports them in taking a diploma course in different specialisations that may interest them. Other benefits include study assistance, competitive salaries, employment conditions, superannuation, peer support, coaching, mentoring, and a permanent full-time position upon program completion.

The type of work involved in the indigenous employment program will vary, depending on the agency participants will work in. It could include data entry, records management, answering enquiries, communications, human resources management, contract and project management, procurement, and other general clerical, administrative, operational, or systems support work.

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