Yarrabah ranger training provider named top Small Employer of the Year
A Far North Queensland not-for-profit Aboriginal Corporation has been recognised for its Indigenous ranger training program that helps protect country and create local employment.
Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Corporation based in Yarrabah, one of Australia's largest Aboriginal communities, has recently taken out the title of the 2024 Small Employer of the Year at the prestigious Queensland Training Awards.
Its Indigenous ranger program provides meaningful employment with dedicated training and mentoring to grow the community's skills base and empower individual participants.
Working with TAFE Queensland and other partners, staff and trainee rangers complete a range of qualifications to care for the land and sea.
The Corporation's Executive officer Helen Tait says: 'Our biggest achievement over the past 3 years is our training program, which has achieved more than 450 training outcomes and benefitted 32 people.
Just recently our rangers completed drone training to create flight plans to help count turtle and dugong populations in the Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji sea country, which is also located in the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef,' Helen said.
Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji has grown from one part-time employee 4 years ago to a thriving charitable organisation with 18 staff.
'Our long-term goal is to secure ongoing funding to develop and deliver a coordinated Ranger Training and Employment Placement Pathway Program to engage unemployed local community members as trainee rangers,' Helen said.
'We aim to develop the rangers' skills through accredited and non-accredited training, to become work ready with organisations outside of Yarrabah to mitigate the industry skill shortage and help close the gap in Indigenous employment across government, non-government and private industry.
More information
The Queensland Training Awards program is delivered by the Department of Trade, Employment and Training to celebrate training excellence across the state.
During Indigenous Business Month in October, we celebrate the achievements of amazing Queensland Indigenous businesses.
Learn more about Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Peoples Prescribed Body Corporate Aboriginal Corporation.
Last updated 20 March 2025
