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Training for digital service centre success at Palm Island
TAFE Queensland is supporting a Queensland Government initiative to establish First Nations Digital Service Centres across regional Queensland locations that will be operated by Telstra, offering employment to residents.
Overview
Located in the Palm Island Retail Precinct, the Digital Service Centre is fully community-owned, and operated and supports ongoing employment for residents in a digital call centre capacity.
Intending to secure employment with Palm Island Community Company at the Palm Island Digital Service Centre, residents participate in a 12-week preemployment (Back to Work)(Skills for Education and Employment (SEE)) training program with TAFE Queensland before commencing their traineeship, where they will go on to achieve a Certificate III in Business (BSB30120).
About Palm Island Community Company
We are a not-for-profit company dedicated to making Palm Island, Queensland, a safer, stronger and more prosperous place to live. Through a bold and original model of service delivery to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, we deliver human services, build community capacity and stimulate economic development on Palm Island.
Opportunity
Vocational Education and Training (VET) has a key role to play in achieving a united Australia; one where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are given the support they need to participate equally and equitably in all aspects of life.
In a bid to boost employment and the economy, the Palm Island Digital Services Centre improves local infrastructure while providing fulfilling learning and employment opportunities for residents in their communities.
The new Palm Island Digital Service Centre is an initiative of Advance Queensland’s Deadly Innovation Strategy, to increase economic opportunities and independence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through greater involvement in the innovation economy.
Solution
The Palm Island Digital Service Centre is the result of a partnership between the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport (DTIS), the Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group within the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Telstra Corporation, TAFE Queensland, Palm Island Community Company Ltd, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, Rainbow Gateway and MEGT.
Eighteen students were enrolled in the inaugural program at Palm Island in late 2023. The students were eased into the new routine, commencing with three days of training a week and building up to five days by the end of the program, simulating a real-world work environment. Upon completion of the twelve-week course, they commenced a traineeship and enrolled into Certificate III in Business (BSB30120) to upskill further.
The training development and employment opportunities of the Palm Island Digital Service Centres are a great example of community, government and business working hand-in-hand to improve local infrastructure, jobs and futures.
By taking jobs to community, not only can we attract and retain great local talent, but we can also help these communities build self-sustainable local businesses as well.
Results
The Palm Island Digital Service Centre is the result of a partnership between the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport (DTIS), the Queensland Government Customer and Digital Group within the Department of Transport and Main Roads, Telstra Corporation, TAFE Queensland, Palm Island Community Company Ltd, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council, Rainbow Gateway and MEGT.
Eighteen students were enrolled in the inaugural program at Palm Island in late 2023. The students were eased into the new routine, commencing with three days of training a week and building up to five days by the end of the program, simulating a real-world work environment. Upon completion of the twelve-week course, they commenced a traineeship and enrolled into Certificate III in Business (BSB30120) to upskill further.
The training development and employment opportunities of the Palm Island Digital Service Centres are a great example of community, government and business working hand-in-hand to improve local infrastructure, jobs and futures.