Empowering First Nations Voices

The Queensland Government has published a suite of resources to assist employers create culturally safe workplaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These resources are a key action under the Queensland Government's Paving the Way – First Nations Training Strategy, which addresses First Nations-led training and workforce solutions, skills and training pathway opportunities, and cultural awareness skills and competency.

This $8.3 million strategy is a key commitment under the Queensland Government's Future Skills Fund which is focused on building the skills needed for the jobs of the future.

Paving the Way outlines a range of actions to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders’ skills development, through training that will open up opportunities for employment and meet local, community and regional job needs.

Paving the Way has been developed through open conversations across QLD with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, local Indigenous community groups, community Elders, local Indigenous small businesses, non-Indigenous businesses and employers, training providers, schools, local councils, state and federal government agencies and key Indigenous governance groups.

Closing the Gap

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples participate more in government-funded training than non-Indigenous people, however their employment outcomes are much lower. The Queensland Government acknowledges that more must be done to lift participation and job outcomes under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Paving the Way supports longer term changes under Closing the Gap by improving education, training and employment.