In August, we launched the 2021 intake of the Santos Support Worker Traineeship through Charles Darwin University. This traineeship enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Territorians to gain a Certificate III in Individual Support – a nationally accredited qualification to work in aged care or disability care.
The program increases positive social impact for Indigenous people through employment and training opportunities, while addressing the skills shortage of qualified carers in the NT. The traineeship was developed in consultation with the Wickham Point Deed Reference Group – the representative group of Larrakia families who are the traditional custodians of Wickham Point, where the Santos-operated Darwin LNG plant is located.
Aged and disability care was identified as an area of need within the Larrakia community and reflected in national workforce reports identifying the high demand for personal care and community workers across the Territory. The traineeship runs for nine months comprising two days of study and three days of paid work per week. Mentoring is provided by Saltbush Social Enterprises and the cohort is well supported by CDU and Santos’ community team. The skills and experience achieved through this course are a solid pathway into the health care industry and are transferable to dayto-day family care needs.
The trainees are on track to graduate in early 2022, and the Santos team are looking forward to the celebration.
