Employment commitment

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Tags: Indigenous, winter-2011

UQ staff members Deborah Stiles, Russell Lingwoodock and Sherrilee Bailiee

UQ has signaled its continuing dedication to recruit and retain Indigenous staff by signing the Australian Employment Covenant (AEC).

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Keniger, who is also the Chair of the University’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Steering Committee (ATSIESC), signed the agreement in December.

The AEC is a national program which promotes the development of 50,000 new jobs for Indigenous Australians.

“I think the covenant will put us on the map and display the commitment from the top in terms of the University reaching its target,” UQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment Coordinator Tracey Pickwick said.

Since 2008, Ms Pickwick and the ATSIESC team have successfully increased the number of casual Indigenous employees by 600 percent (from eight to 48) and more than doubled the number of continuing and fixed term contract Indigenous staff to 48.

Ms Pickwick said part of the process involved implementing culturally appropriate training programs and professional advancement opportunities.

Russell Lingwoodock was hired as a casual employee three years ago and has since completed a business certificate and secured a permanent role with UQ’s Advancement Office.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is another early success story, having recently employed five Indigenous business administration trainees and additional academic and professional staff members.

By Allison Rock

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