Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers one of many exhibitiors at First Nations Youth Jobs Expo at Townsville PCYC

Connecting First Nations youth with the land and sea is the main goal of Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers, who were on site at the 2024 First Nations Youth Jobs Expo in Townsville.

Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers, Keanu Henaway, Xavier Hellyer, Sanije Krasniqi and Jairel Martin-Savage at the First Nations Youth Expo. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Connecting First Nations youth with caring for land and sea is the main goal of Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers.

Hoping to attract more young people into the role of caring for country, trainee members of the group were at the First Nations Youth Jobs Expo held at Townsville PCYC on Thursday.

Trainee Sanije Krasniqi is part of the current cohort of that take part in the six month course and said it was a great way to connect with culture.

“We do turtle tagging, we check out other marine and land animals and we learn about our native lands,” she said.

“It’s great to show younger kids that there are things you can do outside of school to help look after our land.

“It’s good to be role models and show others that you can be in a uniform and work hard to make a difference.”

Ms Krasniqi said the program was also a great opportunity to connect with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and further a career in environmental care.

She said the expo was a great way to connect face-to-face with young people and to show them the many pathways after schooling.

Connecting First Nations youth with local businesses, the 2024 First Nations Youth Jobs Expo featured more than 25 local business and groups looking for keen workers.

The free event held at Townsville PCYC saw industry groups such as the Australian Defence Force, The Ville, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Country Bank Arena and more offer information to attendees across the day.

The day included career panels, interactive sessions and networking opportunities.

Anthony Wotton from Enabling Pathways said collaboration plays a crucial role in empowering youth jobseekers.

“Our goal is to help our youth form strong connections that benefit everyone. We want to ensure they feel less worried and more confident about starting work. By working together, we can provide them with the support they need to find a job and excel in it,” he said.

Originally published as Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers one of many exhibitiors at First Nations Youth Jobs Expo at Townsville PCYC