The Port Curtis Coral Coast Trust has announced its upcoming First Nations Careers Day, known as 'Dorrie Day', which will be held in both Bundaberg and Gladstone in August 2023.
The event is designed to provide regional Queensland First Nations job seekers with the opportunity to connect with employers and industry experts, enabling them to find sustainable employment options. In 2022 Dorrie Day saw over 1,000 people engaged throughout the two events, over 10 schools, multiple businesses and organizations.
Named after having a 'Dorrie' or 'sticky beak', the careers day allows job seekers to have the opportunity to ask questions and have discussions with like-minded businesses and industry experts who can help them navigate the job market and identify the right career path.
Dorrie Day is open to community members, job-seekers, students and employers from Bundaberg, Gladstone, Calliope, and surrounding regional areas. The event will showcase the many First Nations-identified roles throughout the community, and provide an opportunity for participants to engage with different businesses and organisations to understand the positions and careers available to them.
In the 2021 Census, 45% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Bundaberg region were unemployed, which was above the average for both Queensland generally and the rest of the country.
In announcing the event the Port Curtis Coral Coast Trust, which represents the Byellee, Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang & Taribelang peoples, said the goal was to build the capacity of underserved Indigenous communities, ensuring that they have access to the education and training needed to succeed in the workforce.
The organisation said they believed that the event will contribute towards closing the gap in First Nations' employment and well-being in the community.
Dorrie Day will be held between 10 am and 3 pm in Gladstone on the 3rd of August and then in Bundaberg on the 24th of August. For more information visit https://www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/events/event/631/dorrie-day-careers-expo
