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Helping Indigenous job seekers
Woolworths Katherine is located 350 kilometres inland from Darwin in the Northern Territory and currently employs 165 people.
The store is always looking for committed employees and sought the help of CRS Australia to find the right staff. CRS Australia had a number of Indigenous job seekers looking to work in the retail industry, but needed some training to reach their goal.
This situation led to an innovative and exciting joint initiative that would improve the employment prospects for Indigenous job seekers with disabilities in Katherine. Together, Woolworths Katherine and CRS Australia developed and implemented a tailored retail training program adapted to Indigenous job seekers.
The program included job seekers undertaking culturally appropriate pre-employment training with specialist training organisation Starfish Services, a Woolworths’ Certificate II in Retail Operations adapted to the job seekers, followed by a two week on-the-job training program.
Course work included topics such as how to communicate with customers and work as a team. The on-the-job training component enabled job seekers to learn specific job tasks in the store whilst gaining the confidence and skills needed to manage paid employment.
'I'm very lucky because I've got five great new staff. You see their faces and it's obvious how happy they are.'Debbie, Woolworths Katherine
The training program has been a great success. Following the program Woolworths Katherine has employed five job seekers (three Indigenous and two non-Indigenous people) with a range of medical conditions.
Store Manager, Debbie, says, ‘They’re excited to be here so we’ve already won that battle’.
Woolworths Training Specialist, James, says, ‘It’s been a very beneficial program. We have five new employees who are bringing a sense of pride to the business. I know that Debbie and the management team are looking forward to the next program’.