Up-skilling the next generation of Indigenous land managers

We are providing training for Indigenous youth in Queensland to provide local students with practical, job-ready skills in land management and to reconnect them with country.

The project, on a culturally significant site at Beaudesert in the state’s south-east, is a partnership with Access Community Services and is run under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program.

The current ten participants are gaining skills towards a Certificate I in Conservation and Land Management.

Greening Australia trainer Glenn Brown said the project was restoring land at Round Mountain, home of the Mununjali people.

“We’re working with the Mununjali men’s group on this project, to not only teach local indigenous youths about land management, but we also consider it part of Greening Australia’s role to support the indigenous people of the area. We want to help rebuild their cultural connection to the land,” he said.

“Thanks to funding from the Department of Education and Training, we’re able to deliver this training to teach the next generation valuable skills that can lead to employment.”

Mr Brown said the practical training conducted on country included workplace health and safety, seed collection and propagation activities, instruction in machine maintenance, and other training to assist in natural area conservation including weed identification and control.

The project began late last year and is expected to wrap-up in mid-March.

Program co-ordinator and Mununjali elder Clayton Paulson said the participants had provided really good feedback about the program.

“The students have been gaining a lot of skills and learning tools that they haven’t used before that will allow them to enter the workforce,” he said.

“We’ve received lots of positive comments from those involved.

“One big thing they are gaining from this program is confidence, so when they apply for jobs they have the confidence to get through the process.”

Greening Australia’s Strategic Engagement and Initiatives Manager, Eastern Region, Jelenko Dragisic said the training was an essential part of Greening Australia’s business operations.

“We are a nationally accredited training organisation and a preferred Queensland Government training supplier,” Mr Dragisic said.

“Greening Australia would like to develop a strong network with local Indigenous communities and to continue to expand our training program. It’s about building the capacity of the next generation to be able to care for, and be inspired by, country.”