Central Queensland University is moving forward on a strategy to employ more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through its involvement with CDEP (Community Development Employment Project).

Responsible for developing the University’s Indigenous employment portfolio, Equity and Diversity Officer (Indigenous Services) Natasha Lamb said CQU will be developing strategies to increase the number of Indigenous people working at CQU through the newly established Indigenous Employment Reference Group.

She said the University’s involvement with CDEP was a stepping stone toward employing more Indigenous workers on-campus.

CDEP is the Federal Government’s largest Indigenous program, accounting for around one quarter of the total Indigenous employment and encompassing over 32,000 participants across Australia.

New to CQU, Ashley Jamieson, 20, has been employed at CQU via CDEP and is happy to have been given the opportunity to use her qualifications.

After completing high school, Ashley studied business at TAFE and then began looking for work, but with little success.

“I had trouble gaining employment initially as I only had qualifications and no real experience, until I became involved with CDEP,” Ashley explained.

“I was only a member of CDEP for 3 weeks when they got me an interview here at the University”.

Ashley began working at CQU in February - initially for 2 days a week. Now she works at the University for 5 days each week, 2 through CDEP and 3 under a contract with CQU.

“My role is the receptionist in building 34 for the Faculty of Business and Informatics.

“The CDEP program has been very beneficial for me as now I have been given the chance to show my skills and knowledge and at the same time expand them".

Photo: New to CQU, Ashley Jamieson gets support from CQU's Equity and Diversity Officer (Indigenous Services) Natasha Lamb.