Six indigenous Gladstone students graduated the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program

“Growing up I never really knew much about my culture... This course has brought me very close.”

Graduates from Gidarjil Development Corporation's Skilling Queenslanders for Work program with Councillor Glenn Churchill, Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher and Employment and Training Manager Jayson Kokles.

Six graduates have been farewelled from an indigenous non-profit organisation after completing a six-month course which will set them up with skills for life.

Anzac Nettles, Taleigha Salam, Will Ratcliffe, Lesley Bradwell, Garrett Dynevor, David Chapman and Jackson Calder all received certificates at the Gidarjil Development Corporation graduation ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony on Friday morning, Gidarjil’s employment and training manager Jayson Kokles said the students graduating had stuck strong through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program.

“Despite the difficulties, despite the issues which may or may not have affected you, you turned up to work and you guys should be very proud of yourselves for doing that,” he said.

“Some of the most important factors you can learn in an employment situation is working as a team, following instructions and sticking to the task at hand despite all outside influences.”

Graduates from Gidarjil Development Corporation's Skilling Queenslanders for Work program with Councillor Glenn Churchill, Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher and Employment and Training Manager Jayson Kokles.

Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher said the six graduates displayed several qualities in completing the SQW course.

“We make them difficult for a reason, we make sure we have the best trainees and Gidarjil has delivered over 75 trainees since I’ve been the State Member in the last six years,” he said.

Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher congratulated the Skilling Queenslanders for Work graduating class from Gidarjil on Friday.

“Previous governments have slashed Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding, however, we have just allocated funding in the last budget to ensure the program stays around forever.”

Gidarjil SQW program graduate Taleigha Salam said growing up and not knowing much about her culture really “bummed” her.

“Finding out about this program really helped me with my culture and slowly getting to know things like bush tucker, seed collection, seed collection and animals.

Ms Salam said she could not choose just one highlight from her time on the course.

Tarleigha Salam said she found out a lot about her Gurang Gurang culture by participating in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work Program.

“The whole course was amazing, at first I really wasn’t interested but the more and more I progressed it brought me closer.

“After this I really want to give back to the environment, help out and go from there.”

Ms Salam said her end goal was to head out to the mines and participate in conservation work.

“Work on a lot of cuts out there and do the regrowth and everything once they finish with the cut,” she said.

Ms Salam, a member of the Gurang Gurang, said she never really knew much about her culture growing up.

“As much as I wanted to ask my parents and my grandmother, I just never had the confidence to do so,” she said.

“This course has brought me very close and working with friends and cousins has really opened my eyes.”

Originally published as Six indigenous Gladstone students graduated the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program