Professor Patrick Dodson dines at the RWA’s Yaama Dhiyaan

Professor Dodson was given a tour of both the Yaama Dhiyaan Hospitality and Training Centre and the Les Tobler Construction Centre where the Koori Job Ready Course is run.

Aboriginal Elder Aunty Beryl Van Oploo who teaches the course at Yaama Dhiyann told Professor Dodson how her dream to be able to provide Aboriginal people with skills to work in hospitality has now become a wonderful reality.

The head teacher of the Koori Job Ready Course, Ryan Jackson also proudly showed Professor Dodson through the Construction Centre that has provided training for over 150 Aboriginal people and has placed more than 70% of people from the course directly into paid employment in the construction industry.

Following the tour, Professor Dodson dined on a menu specially prepared by Yaama Dhiyaan’s young Aboriginal chef Mathew Cribb, that included crocodile ravioli, macadamia and wild thyme crusted emu fillet and baked chocolate and wattle seed pots served with double cream.

Professor Dodson finished the evening by saying how very impressed he was with both Yaama Dhiyaan and the Les Tobler Construction Centre and that it made him feel proud that Aboriginal people were achieving so much.

He said that he wants to see the initiatives of Yaama Dhiyaan and the Koori Job Ready Course being offered Australia wide and he would love to see these courses being run in his hometown of Broome.

Professor Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome in Western Australia He is a former Director of the Central Land Council and the Kimberley Land Council, a former Royal Commissioner into the Aboriginal Deaths in custody and for six years was the Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

Aboriginal Elder Aunty Beryl Van Oploo who teaches the course at Yaama Dhiyann told Professor Dodson how her dream to be able to provide Aboriginal people with skills to work in hospitality has now become a wonderful reality.

The head teacher of the Koori Job Ready Course, Ryan Jackson also proudly showed Professor Dodson through the Construction Centre that has provided training for over 150 Aboriginal people and has placed more than 70% of people from the course directly into paid employment in the construction industry.

Following the tour, Professor Dodson dined on a menu specially prepared by Yaama Dhiyaan’s young Aboriginal chef Mathew Cribb, that included crocodile ravioli, macadamia and wild thyme crusted emu fillet and baked chocolate and wattle seed pots served with double cream.

Professor Dodson finished the evening by saying how very impressed he was with both Yaama Dhiyaan and the Les Tobler Construction Centre and that it made him feel proud that Aboriginal people were achieving so much.

He said that he wants to see the initiatives of Yaama Dhiyaan and the Koori Job Ready Course being offered Australia wide and he would love to see these courses being run in his hometown of Broome.

Professor Dodson is a Yawuru man from Broome in Western Australia He is a former Director of the Central Land Council and the Kimberley Land Council, a former Royal Commissioner into the Aboriginal Deaths in custody and for six years was the Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.