Category: Indigenous

Dr Jessa Rogers on Indigenous education and skills

2/5/2023

DIVERSITY, INDIGENOUS, CAREER

The groundbreaking career of educator, academic and now non-executive director Dr Jessa Rogers GAICD has been driven by her passion to ensure First Nations voices are always heard.

Published by Company Director.

Dr Jessa Rogers, image by Kristoffer Paulsen

New program boosts capacity of remote social enterprise

28/2/2023

SOCIAL, SMALL BUSINESS, INDIGENOUS

Like most start-up cofounders, Fraser Nai welcomes advice and connections that might help scale his community-focused cultural tourism platform, but concedes they’re often difficult to come by given the remote location of his business, in the Torres Strait.

Published by White Box Enterprises.

Strait Experience co-founders Fraser Nai and John Palmer (supplied)

Outback town lifts homeownership with unique scheme

3/7/2022

REGIONAL, FINANCE, INDIGENOUS

For a handful of locals in the very remote townships in Queensland’s Burke Shire council, the idea of owning a home has turned from impossible to imaginable, as a unique homeownership scheme takes hold.

First published on Westpac Wire

Sisters Madison (left) and Jordan Marshall were the first to buy their Burketown homes through a unique homeownership initiative. (Supplied)

Indigenous business builds up as supplier spend spreads

27/5/2022

INDIGENOUS

More doors are opening for Indigenous businesses as corporates lift diversity in supply chain spending, including on projects like the fitout of Westpac’s newest site at Parramatta Square.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Schiavello Ganbu’s Kyle Vander Kuyp (centre) with apprentices Elijah and Jediaha.

When your side-hustle makes the national stage

8/7/2021

SMALL BUSINESS, DIVERSITY, INDIGENOUS

Just days after soaking up the thrill of unveiling her fashion collection at the hottest couture event of the year, Julie Shaw slipped seamlessly back to work in her other job as an Indigenous careers’ consultant.

First published on Westpac Wire.

Julie Shaw (front, left), founder of fashion label MAARA Collective, with models during Australian Fashion Week. (Getty)

The advocate and her champion

27/5/2020

INDIGENOUS, GOOD PAIR

Yashmin Zeini and Dixie Link Gordon (Photo: Emma Foster)

Since meeting 10 years ago, Westpac’s Yashmin Zeini’s connection with First Nations women’s advocate Dixie Link-Gordon has deepened through a shared determination to eliminate sexual assault and family violence.

First published in Westpac Wire

‘Life changing’: Jawun’s purple haze

27/5/2019

INDIGENOUS, SOCIAL

Beyond the chaos of a purple courtyard filled with chickens, firepits and guitars, Mark Scott – the 900th Westpac employee on a Jawun secondment – discovers how dialysis is helping Indigenous communities “hold on strong” to culture.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Irene Nangala (left) and Mark Scott. (Image: Emma Foster)

The visionary and the stalwart

21/5/2018

GOOD PAIR, INDIGENOUS, SOCIAL

Noel Pearson (left) and Vit Koci. (Image: Emma Foster)

Since Cape York leader Noel Pearson met Westpac’s Vit Koci in 2001, an experimental idea to send corporate employees into remote Indigenous communities has flourished into Jawun, a national program delivering transformational results.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Put recognition back on radar: Pearson

14/5/2018

INDIGENOUS

Noel Pearson. (Image: Emma Foster)

Cape York leader NoelPearson has called on Australian leaders to “act with a sense of urgency” to get Indigenous constitutional recognition back onto the social radar, now that same sex marriage has been resolved.

First published in Westpac Wire.

GOOD PAIR: From mentor to mate

14/2/2018

GOOD PAIR, INDIGENOUS

Chris Brell (left), state general manager in Westpac’s business bank, met law student Jack Day (right) when Jack interned at the bank through the CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship program. (Emma Foster)

When law student, Jack Day, met his internship manager, career banker Chris Brell, three years ago, neither envisaged the unlikely friendship that would grow.

First published in Westpac Wire.

The 14-year old banker and her boss

6/10/2017

GOOD PAIR, INDIGENOUS

Tegan Burke (left) and John Veal. (Image: supplied)

Tegan Burke became Westpac’s youngest ever personal banker after starting her career four years ago as a 14 year old through the bank’s Indigenous school-based trainee program. Her first bank manager, John Veal, is her mentor and biggest fan.

First published in Westpac Wire.

Creative ingredients add flavour to Indigenous careers

18/7/2017