Proud Graduation in Wujal Wujal
Ten Wujal Wujal locals now have certified construction skills and numerous physical examples of their prowess throughout the community to show off to friends and future employers.
Our ‘Pride of Place’ project officially concluded with a graduation ceremony in front of friends and family in the Daintree community. Jonathan Bassani, Ronan Bassani, Joshua Collins, Jaukai Dempsey, Jukai Greenwool, Allan Nandy, Brian Nunn, Kamal Tranby, Charleston Walker and Dujuan Yougie were each presented their certificates of attainment as well as a personalised Yeti drink bottle as a memento of their achievement.
Just one of the examples of the varied tasks the group turned their hands to through the project, assembling furniture for community members.
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council CEO Kiley Hanslow said the project had delivered much for the community and that its impact would continue long into the future.
“The recently completed Wujal Wujal Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) project has been a major achievement for the Wujal Wujal community, with all our local Bama participants successfully completing their Certificate I in Construction” she said.
“This very positive community initiative has delivered real outcomes and pride for the community, highlighting the strength of culturally appropriate, community-based training laying the foundation for long-term employment and growth.
“It stands as a successful model that could be adopted in other Indigenous communities to promote employment, upskilling, and wellbeing.
“Council believes these skilled and motivated trainees will continue to positively impact Wujal Wujal’s future and hopefully continue to further upskill and link in with the delivery of community projects here in Wujal Wujal.”
The trainees have a great deal to show for the six months they have been employed in the pride of place project. Flourishing following its initial cleanup with help from RACQ’s ‘blue army’, the community nursery has become a hub for the group, with produce growing and the facility now securely fenced and operational again. Council buildings have been cleaned and repainted and many pieces of community furniture either restored or constructed. The group also turned their hands several times to assisting individual community members in their homes, including supporting the local Home and Community Care team.
The trainees have enjoyed the experiences and the new skills they have developed, as well as the friendships that have grown within the group.
“I feel good, and proud. We’ve had lots of new experiences, learning how to build and fix things,” Jukai Greenwool said.
“I’m happy that I made new friends, and I feel good now, more confident.”
Jukai is one of four trainees who have already secured ongoing employment, having begun a role as a community engager with My Pathway within days of graduating. This is a fantastic show of the progress he has made during the traineeship, and he’s not stopping there, with longer-term aspirations to further grow his construction skills.
The trainees added specialist training in skills including elevated work platforms and first aid to their construction skills through the project.
“I’d like to complete a Certificate 3 or 4, maybe an apprenticeship, he said.
“One day I would like to be my own boss as a builder and show other young people the way to approach life.”
Project Supervisor Brad Gould recalled the group were eager from the very beginning, but the growth they have all shown through the course of their training is what made this project so successful.
“The trainees began with fresh energy, an eagerness to do well and a clear motivation to prove themselves as valuable assets to their peers and the broader community” he said.
“It was so inspiring to see the graduates complete each project with pride, growing confidence and enthusiasm and be so eager to take on the next tasks.
“Their positive attitudes contributed so much to the overall team spirit and with it, the project’s success.”
We extend our thanks and congratulations to the trainees, project support staff, Wujal Wujal community and local partners; Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council, Gungarde Community Aboriginal Corporation, Hope Vale Foundation, My Pathway and Major Training.
SQW projects are an initiative of, and proudly funded by, the Queensland Government.
This story first appeared in the Cape York Weekly.