Indigenous Group Training Organisation Media Release – Indigenous Students in Western Sydney Embark on an Exciting New Career and Training Pathway into Health

IAHA Group Training today welcomed ten, deadly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students from Western Sydney to their first official meeting as employees of Indigenous Allied Health Australia’s (IAHA) Group Training Organisation.

The students signed up to a school-based traineeship program to undertake a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance while continuing with their year 11 & 12 studies.

With support from IAHA Group Training, students will gain experience in the health workforce with both IAHA and Western Sydney Local Health District, gaining relevant employability skills and work readiness.

The partnership with both IAHA and Western Sydney Local Health District will strengthen local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce development strategies, including through providing paid employment opportunities for school-based trainees, mentoring, leadership development and career planning.

IAHA Group Training will also work with host employers to support them to provide culturally safe and responsive learning environments for trainees.

Donna Murray, IAHA Chief Executive Officer, said:

“IAHA Group Training is a leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Group Training Organisation which was designed and governed to create opportunities for growing the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes, through opportunities in health and across diverse industries, and we both thank and congratulate the trainees on this very exciting day.

A special thank you to Verto Apprenticeship Network Provider, NSW Department of Education School Based Apprentice and Traineeship Officers Teaching Quality and Impact Directorate, the students, and their families.”

The program will assist in the development of a culturally safe workforce who can respond to the health and other needs of communities in Western Sydney, now and into the future.