Redfern program helps Indigenous youths get ahead

Since its inception the program has achieved a high success rate in getting young Aborigines work as builders.

Trainees come from all over New South Wales and many have had it tough growing up.

Many say the program saved them from a life of drugs, alcohol and crime.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan is one of 16 taking part in the unique training program, and today is coming to grips with driving a forklift.

"Well, I'm going on 18 and I'm going to start to need money and stuff. I need to go out, start paying Mum some board," he said.

"I just want to get some get some money in my hands. I don't know... it's boring at home just sitting down every day."

Koori Job Ready, run out of the old carriageworks in Redfern, is an eight-week course which teaches the basics of construction.

Many of the participants come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For Jordan the program represents a big chance to get ahead in life. He says he's particularly interested in building or bricklaying.

"I just want an apprenticeship... just need a job, you know," he said.

"Just someone to give me an apprenticeship to get a trade, something in a trade."

Koori Job Ready has been running since 2007. Since then more than 80 per cent of its graduates have found work - most in the building industry.

Participants graduate not only with skills in construction but also knowledge of occupational health and safety, industrial relations and first aid.

The program's project manager Rohan Tobler says approximately 50 people apply for each course they run.

"We sit down, we interview them and we assess them on who's at the stage of their life to make a change," he said.

"You can generally pick that up because they're trying but nothing's working for them, nobody's given them the opportunity yet.

"We pick them up at the stage of their life where [they're thinking] 'right, I just need a little bit of a hand, an opportunity to make something, because what I'm doing at the moment's not working.'"

Mr Tobler says graduates are sought-after by employers because they leave the program with a wide range of skills which help them cope in the workplace.

"You're able to see through our program that somebody who walks into the information day and barely wants to speak two words to you comes through our program, goes into employment and within a year you can't shut him up about him telling me how great of a tradesman he's becoming," he said.

"You can see the confidence slowly growing. And I think that's the best part about it."

Eighteen-year-old Bernie from Penrith, west of Sydney, says before he joined the program he was wasting his life.

"Stupid stuff. Just going out, getting off my head, getting into fights, getting into trouble," he said.

He said he came to a point where he wanted to something more with his life.

"I want to make some money without having to steal off people," he said.

Audio: Indigenous job network points to employment success in construction industry (AM)

Source: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/04/2534969.htm