Indigenous
Statistics show that Indigenous Australians are the most disadvantaged group in the Australian labour market, experiencing significantly higher unemployment rates and lower workforce participation rates than the non-indigenous population.
With this in mind, there are an increasing number of employers who are actively providing employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians and reaping the rewards.
Benefits of employing Indigenous Australians
- Gives you access to a largely untapped pool of potential employees
- Creates cultural diversity and awareness in your workplace, which breaks down stereotypes and encourages new perspectives and ideas
- Projects a positive image within your industry and to your clients that your business genuinely supports equal opportunity employment
- Allows you to give back to the community, by making a real difference to the lives of indigenous Australians
Government assistance for employers
The Australian Government has developed a number of funded employment programs to encourage and assist employers to take on indigenous employees.
Indigenous Wage Subsidy
If you provide an indigenous jobseeker with ongoing employment for more than 26 weeks, you may be eligible to receive a subsidy of up to:
- $4,400* full-time or
- $2,200* part-time (min. 15hrs/week)
Wage assistance is not available when employing a school-based apprentice or trainee, or in conjunction with STEP. The jobseeker must be registered with Centrelink, to be eligible to attract this funding.
Structured Training and Employment Project (STEP)
A STEP can provide your business with flexible financial assistance for employing five or more indigenous job seekers into long term employment projects.
The project must provide some form of structured training which will lead to ongoing employment outcomes, (such as apprenticeships and traineeships).
Assistance can be tailored to best meet your business’ needs and to maximise the skills development and employment opportunities for your employees.
Projects are individually negotiated with your organisation and are primarily based on the achievement of identified job outcomes.
STEP may provide you with the following:
- Assistance with the submission of your application and developing an indigenous employment strategy for your organisation.
- Pre-employment and formal training.
- Development and/or delivery of cross cultural awareness training.
- Mentoring and career development training.
New Apprenticeships
In addition to STEP and Wage Assistance programs, you may be eligible to receive up to $4,000 (or more) in Australian Government Incentives for each employee who undertakes an apprenticeship or traineeship.
*Must meet certain eligibility criteria.