Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia’s latest class of 37 Indigenous trainees have graduated from the National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA), based at Ayers Rock Resort.
NITA was established to develop an Indigenous workforce for Ayers Rock Resort and the wider tourism and hospitality industries and this round of graduates brings the total to an amazing 411 graduations since the program commenced in October 2011.
“These 37 inspiring young Indigenous people from across Australia are graduating with a nationally recognised qualification in tourism and we would like to congratulate them on their hard work and achievements. We wish them every success for their ongoing careers at Ayers Rock Resort and beyond,” said Voyages CEO Grant Hunt.
“Voyages core purpose is to create opportunities for Indigenous Australians in tourism and we are committed to educating and transforming lives by creating skills that allow these young people to work. Today, 38% of the team at Ayers Rock Resort are Indigenous.”
Through NITA’s incredibly successful program, trainees receive accredited, enterprise-based, residential training in hospitality and related disciplines, and are guaranteed employment at Ayers Rock Resort upon completion.
The graduation ceremony was held at Ayers Rock Resort on Saturday 18th May and was attended by senior representatives from Voyages, the Mutitjulu Community, the Central Land Council, William Angliss Institute and Charles Darwin University.
Special awards presented included the Academic Excellence Award for William Angliss, awarded by Nick Hunt, CEO of William Angliss, to Nathaniel Lowery-Barsah from Ayers Rock Resort’s Food and Beverage Team; the Academic Excellence Award for Charles Darwin University, awarded by Mike Keating of CDU to Jayden Cook from the Central Landscaping Team, and the Most Outstanding Trainee of the Year, awarded to Jai King of Ayers Rock Resort’s Food and Beverage Team.
“The strong Indigenous workforce at Ayers Rock Resort creates a more authentic travel experience for our guests, who are increasingly seeking more meaningful connections during their stay,” added Grant Hunt.
Ayers Rock Resort is listed in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame for excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism.