140128 ps-ritc final reference guide

A reference guide
to employing
Aboriginal Australians
January 2014

Introduction
2 This guide was developed by Shelby Consulting
Pty Ltd for the Resources Industry Training Council
and is designed to provide employers with key
points to consider when embarking on an initiative
to attract, select and employ Aboriginal Australians
in the workplace. The guide focuses on key aspects
of this process and supports employers through
some of the potential challenges.
It also covers a range of employment initiatives
including traineeships, apprenticeships, permanent,
casual, full-time and part-time arrangements and
includes references to various support agencies
and organisations.
The information is presented as a checklist and
highlights key actions and topics for consideration.
If further information or support is required, please
contact the Resources Industry Training Council
on 08 9220 8538.
Prepared for Resources Industry Training Council by

The information
in this guide is
presented in the
following topics:
Clarify your 5
objectives
Recruitment 15
and selection
Pre-employment 19
programs
Traineeships and 23
apprenticeships
Reviewing and 29
measuring success
Workplace culture 6
Workplace preparation 8
Aboriginal culture and family 11
Personal communication 12
Communication strategies 14
Mentoring 24
Induction and on-boarding 21
Mentoring 24
Employee management 27
Program
Planning
Sourcing and
Recruitment
Pre-employment
Programs
Traineeship and
Employment
Program
Outcomes
3

Program Planning Sourcing and Recruitment Pre-employment Programs Traineeship and Employment Program Outcomes
Clarifying your objectives
Employing Aboriginal people makes good social
and business sense. Your company has indicated
an interest in wanting to engage in and develop an
Aboriginal employment strategy and here are some
of the possible reasons why:
You want to increase the pool of
applicants to your workforce
You want to have greater diversity
in your workforce
Providing an ‘inclusive’ workforce
is important to your company
You have contractual obligations
that need to be addressed
You have a commitment to workforce
sustainability and corporate
responsibility
You are interested in employing
upcoming talent
Think about your company’s objectives and make
sure you can write them down clearly. Until you can,
you won’t be able to communicate them to others.
All successful employment strategies require
time, commitment and planning. Employing
Aboriginal Australians is the same but can involve
some additional considerations with respect to
cultural difference and inclusion. These aspects
of the employment strategy are discussed on the
following pages.
5

Workplace culture
6 Building a successful workplace
Workplaces and working conditions have
changed over time, becoming more flexible in
order to attract and retain a broader and more
loyal workforce.
Building a workplace that employees want to be part
of is important. It’s not just a matter of employees
being ‘job ready’ and ‘fitting in’. To be successful
and retain employees, companies can consider
various ways in which to create an environment
that reflects what the company is all about.
There are some specific considerations that can be
made for accommodating an Aboriginal workforce,
for example, ‘buy in’ at all levels of the company.
Contemporary practice
calls you to be aware of
“two worlds” impacting
on Aboriginal people.
There is a mixing of
western and Aboriginal
knowledge and ways.
Have you got buy in?
For the successful implementation of new policies
and programs, it is important for employees at all
levels of the company to be familiar with and to
support the changes. Ideally all employees will be
aware and support the business vision to employ
Aboriginal people. For practical reasons, initially,
leadership and senior managers can champion
the workplace changes, articulate the company
vision and explain why the changes are important,
including the benefits for the company.
The more champions, the better! To spread interest
and Increase "buy in", aim to involve as many
employees as possible to champion the program.
Support existing employees to understand the
changes and identify issues as early as possible.
> See also: Clarifying your objectives and communication strategies
What else can your company do?
To develop and maintain a profile as a company
that welcomes, works with and retains Aboriginal
employees, there are various processes you
can develop and actions you can adopt.
These may include:
• Providing all employees with cultural awareness
training so that they have exposure and
understanding of the broad and historical
issues. Evidence suggests increased cultural
awareness facilitates a more productive
workplace environment. If possible send
supervisors to more advanced training.
• Getting involved in Aboriginal celebrations
like NAIDOC week: have a presence at events
and profile your company as an employer of
choice for Aboriginal people.
• Developing an Aboriginal employment policy
and workforce development strategy that
describes the goals and objectives of the
company and its plan for achieving these.
• Developing or enhancing an equity and
diversity plan.
• Developing an Aboriginal employment
operational plan.
• Developing a reconciliation action plan with
vision and intent.
• Reviewing your HR policy and consider
incorporating culturally appropriate adjustments.
This may include adjustments to bereavement
leave in recognition of the higher mortality rates
of Aboriginal people and the relation of this to
increased need and obligation for Aboriginal
employees to attend funerals.
• Displaying Aboriginal art and decorations in the
workplace to reflect your company’s interest in
Aboriginal culture.
• Utilising appropriate images of Aboriginal
people in company brochures, newsletters or
other promotional materials (Note. Be aware of
various cultural sensitivities around images of
deceased individuals and children).

Cultural awareness is a first 7
step on a journey towards
cultural competence.
Confidentiality and trust
Developing confidence and trust between
employees is critical to a company’s productivity as
well as workplace harmony. It may be a good idea
to work with HR to develop and implement support
mechanisms that can help to avoid problems or
resolve them once they have occurred. Specific
considerations may be helpful in building trust
between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal employees.
For example, you could involve mentors and use
formal and informal communication strategies.
> See also: Communication strategies,
personal communication and mentoring
Building Aboriginal cultural
awareness in the workplace
It’s advisable that companies that are serious
about sustaining an Aboriginal employment
strategy and engaging and retaining Aboriginal
employees in the workplace build cultural
awareness in their workplace.
There are a number of cultural awareness training
providers who can assist in running workshops
for you.
> Further information:
http://www.trainingwa.wa.gov.au/awdc/detcms/navigation/
employers/aboriginal-cultural-awareness-training-providers/
Measuring workplace culture
One way to understand your non-Aboriginal
employees’ interest in Aboriginal employment is to
observe, ask informal questions or develop a short
survey. These can all be used to identify employees’
views, beliefs, attitudes and perceptions.
A survey can also act as an agent of change and
communication. It can provide context for questions
as well as raise awareness and debate around
the topic. The results of the survey and other
tools used can help identify issues and provide an
understanding of the baseline status and indicators
of potential change management issues.
DO
4 Be prepared for the long haul – sustainable
change doesn’t happen overnight
4 Make sure everyone understands their
responsibilities and why they matter
4 Set clear expectations and benchmarks
4 Make a real commitment
4 Find champions at all levels
DON’T
8 Assume that a commitment from senior
management means the whole company is
on board
8 Think Aboriginal employment is just an
add-on
8 Under-resource the initiative
8 Assume cultural awareness training
provides all the answers.

Workplace preparation
and ownership
With any workplace change or initiative it is
important to let existing workers know what is
happening.
Without drawing too much attention, it is important
to advise potential managers and colleagues on
the arrival of new employees. If your company or
employees are unfamiliar with diversity, and new
employees are from a different culture, it may
be helpful to assist in creating a welcoming and
supportive environment.
> See also: Communication strategies and induction and on-boarding
With any workplace change
or initiative it is important
to let existing workers know
what is happening.
Prepare your team leaders and supervisors
8
DO
4 Advise of expectations of managers and
team members
4 Let people know their responsibilities
4 Prepare the workplace
4 Provide cultural awareness training, if
appropriate
4 Let those in the workplace know why
Aboriginal employment is important
DON’T
8 Withhold information until the person starts
8 Over celebrate employee ethnicity
8 Assume that everyone in the workplace will
be on board

9

Aboriginal culture
and family
Cultural diversity in regional
language groups
There are more than 250 traditional Aboriginal
language groups in Australia. Within these
language groups there are subgroups, amounting
to a total of some 500 dialects. Traditions and
culture can vary greatly from area to area so
Aboriginal employees may have different cultural
practices or obligations.
Family obligations
A non-Aboriginal person's family usually consists of
blood relations and those connected by marriage.
For an Aboriginal person the concept of family can
be significantly extended in their kinship system.
The traditional Aboriginal kinship system is highly
organised and structured, and is the framework
under which relationships and specific roles and
responsibilities are given to individuals in the group.
This wider web of relationships may bring more
family and cultural obligations, for example,
attending funerals.
Knowing the extent to which an Aboriginal
employee must comply with traditional cultural
protocols is important. For example, there may be
an avoidance relationship, which prohibits contact
between people of particular ‘skin’ groups that
your team needs to be aware of.
Understanding the differences
It is worthwhile knowing where your Aboriginal
employees are from and which language group
they identify with. To understand more about the
language group and any specific cultural practices
and obligations your new employee may have,
ask a knowledgeable Aboriginal person.
DO
4 Get to know your employees on a personal
level so that you have an understanding of
their family background and commitments
4 Ask advice about welcome to country
protocols from local Aboriginal elders
4 Be clear about if and how you can
accommodate these obligations
4 Be clear about expectations with respect to
work responsibilities
4 Be aware of traditional Aboriginal kinship
systems
DON’T
8 Assume expectations are understood
8 Assume that if you have had cultural
awareness training you understand all
that is required about Aboriginal cultures
and employees
8 Think a welcome to country is all that’s
needed
11

Good communication is a critical foundation to
your relationship with employees and colleagues.
When engaging with your employees, there are
a number of factors to consider including their
education, language, age and social economic
factors, etc. Effective communication is not
necessarily a given. Here are some things to
consider when communicating with all employees,
including Aboriginal employees:
• Ask for feedback or confirmation from your
employees to ensure your message was
received as intended. Some employees may
not understand but do not have the confidence
to ask for clarification.
• Provide a mentor for employees. This may
provide a non-threatening ally in whom the
employee can confide or ask questions. It also
provides an alternative avenue for feedback.
• When talking to employees it can be helpful
to think about your body language and the
speed and tone of your voice in the delivery
of your message.
Don’t be caught thinking,
“I treat everyone the same,”
as “the same” has been
defined to suit our culture.
Substantive equality says
sometimes it’s important
to treat people differently to
get the same outcome.
• Have patience with a pause or silence: often
a delayed response or silence can be a sign
of respect or that they are thinking about their
response. It may also mean the employee hasn’t
understood, and is unsure what to say. With time,
you will begin to understand which one it is.
• Be conscious of placing too much emphasis
on an individual in front of a group. Both
positive and negative individual feedback can
cause embarrassment.
• Be aware that some people may make little
to no eye contact when talking face to face.
They may be conditioned to a traditional
communication protocol of eye avoidance.
Culturally, it’s a sign of respect or to avoid conflict.
• Demonstrating an outcome to your employee
first, followed by an explanation may be a more
effective way to get outcomes; working from
the concrete to the abstract in logic and theory.
Try both to see which is most effective.
• Workplace responsibilities and family life can
overlap for any employee. As discussed,
Aboriginal employees have cultural obligations
that may slightly differ from non-Aboriginal
employees. It is a good idea to talk this through
with Aboriginal employees at the outset.
• Informal, non-confrontational strategies often
work best.
> See also: Communication strategies
12
12
Personal communication
Message
Send
Interpret
Feedback
Encode
Decode

Miscommunication
Miscommunication or misunderstanding is a
common challenge in all workplaces. This can
often be more pronounced when working cross-culturally
and can often go unrecognised. If this
issue is occurring, it is also undoubtedly impacting
on productivity and the workplace culture.
Factors impeding effective communication include,
but are not limited to:
• Unclear understanding of expectations
• Unclear understanding about the work
environment and work tasks
• Language and jargon
• Stress
• Organisational constraints
• Stereotypical thinking, prejudice
• Limited or lack of cross cultural knowledge and
understanding
• Differing modes of communication
– email, face to face, group, individual, etc.
• Differing styles of communication
– authoritative, collaborative, etc.
If the employee is not as
assertive as others and they
will listen but not question
– this does not necessarily
mean they agree with what
you are saying.
13
DO
4 Use an open and positive attitude
4 Practice getting feedback
4 Be prepared to build trust
4 Use a casual non-confrontational style
where possible
DON’T
8 Use jargon and acronyms
8 Assume you’ve been understood
8 Expect an immediate answer – time may
be needed to consider a response
13

Communication strategies
A communication strategy is often overlooked
when it could be a key tool for making sure that
your workplace culture reflects your organisational
intent. A communication strategy should identify
a range of formal and informal tools to deliver
your message.
Formal communications are planned and follow
a structure. They are generally documented and
managed. Informal communication methods are
often overlooked but are some of the most useful
communication channels in business. They have
become crucial to ensure the effective conduct
of work in modern organisations.
FORMAL vs INFORMAL
Communication can be via formal structures such as team meetings
or informal avenues such as casual conversations or yarning
Examples Benefits Drawbacks
Formal • Policies, procedures
and guidelines
• Team meetings
• Presentations
• Newsletters
• Intranet
• Sends a consistent message
• Is recorded and able to
be easily referenced
• Clearly defines responsibility
• Is less likely to be
misinterpreted
• Is more directive than
collaborative
• Is structured, generic
and managed
• May not convey nuances
of a situation as it applies
to an individual
Informal • Morning teas
• Emails and SMS
messages
• Social/casual
conversations
• Message boards
• Is opportune and
spontaneous
• Provides opportunity for
discussion, interaction
and influence
• Builds relationships
• Is inconsistent and open
to interpretation
• Often is a once off
communication between
individuals – some
people may miss out
on receiving the information
DO
4 Be upfront and clear about expectations and
offerings with employees from the outset
4 Plan and create a communication strategy
4 Identify the preferred mode of
communication being used within your
organisation and tap into it
4 Use a variety of formal and informal
communication methods
4 Provide multiple opportunities to
communicate a message
4 Set clear expectations
DON’T
8 Communicate just once or use just one
communication method
8 Keep information to yourself
8 Skirt an issue or ignore it in the hope it will
go away
14

Recruitment and selection
What is the job? 15
In the process of advertising a job, clearly define
what it is you want and what you are looking for in
an employee. Include the conditions and the types
of tasks involved in the role.
A common criticism by employees and job
applicants is the lack of clarity in the job description,
whereby information about the work is unclear.
Key questions
To help you determine the type of work and
responsibility required, the following questions
may help.
• Is the work seasonal?
• Will it be permanent or contract work?
• Is it on a part-time, full-time or casual basis?
• Am I interested in employing a trainee or
apprentice through a formal traineeship or
apprenticeship?
• How many positions will I have?
• Is there a job description available?
Why are we doing this?
It is important that you understand what strategic
or operational organisational objectives you are
trying to achieve through employing Aboriginal
Australians. Are you:
• Trying to build a regional employment base in
an area with a significant Aboriginal population?
• Trying to meet equity and diversity targets?
• Providing employment solutions for an
underutilised cohort?
Companies with these goals have found that
progress can be slow but with a sustained focus
on reaching their objectives, they get results.
> See also: Clarifying your objectives, workplace preparation and
communication strategies

What do you want in an employee?
Once your organisation’s objectives are clear, the
recruitment team can focus on identifying and
targeting appropriate employees.
Where do I find people?
There are several options available for identifying
Aboriginal Australian applicants. The Australian
and Western Australian Governments support
the employment of Aboriginal Australians through
funding organisations that are focused on
assisting Aboriginal Australians into employment,
such as the Western Australian Aboriginal
Workforce Development Centres. There are also
private sector recruitment agencies that specialise
in Aboriginal employment.
In addition, there is Australian Government funding
available for projects that support employers to
provide sustainable employment opportunities and
assist Aboriginal people to engage in training and
employment opportunities.
Aboriginal Workforce Development Centres:
http://www.trainingwa.wa.gov.au/awdc/detcms/portal/
Australian Government:
http://www.indigenous.gov.au
or
http://www.employment.gov.au
Advertising
Be aware that forms of advertising through
job search websites such as seek.com.au,
careerone.com.au or newspapers are less likely
to be successful, unless you use Aboriginal media
such as the Koori mail. Consider Aboriginal career
days and expos, or advertising on Aboriginal
radio stations or other local media that Aboriginal
people tap into.
Under WA Government legislation (Section 50D of
EEO Act) employers are able to advertise specifically
for Aboriginal Australians for jobs where Aboriginality
is necessary as part of the job description.
Australian Job Search:
http://jobsearch.gov.au/jobseekerinfo/indigenous.aspx
Aboriginal Employment Strategy:
http://www.indigenousjobsaustralia.com.au/index.
php?option=com_content&view=article&id=25&Itemid=7
Australian Employment Covenant:
http://jobsearch.gov.au/employerinfo/
australianemploymentcovenant.aspx
http://careers.fiftythousandjobs.org.au/
GenerationOne:
http://generationone.org.au/
Local Aboriginal resource agency or local Aboriginal corporations

Job profile and job criteria
With any position it is important to be very clear
about the roles and responsibilities required.
It is best if you develop a detailed and robust
Job Description Form (JDF), which explicitly
captures tasks needed to be undertaken and the
criteria and skills required for the role.
The more specific you can be about the role, the
better. Be mindful that the language you use is
appropriate and not too complicated, or set aside
time to communicate what it means. For example,
the description “undertakes reception duties” may
not be explicit enough. You may want to include
that this requires skills in filing, banking, answering
phones, setting up meetings etc. Similarly, the
description “responsible for project management”
does not specifically identify that the role requires
report writing, program evaluation and contract or
procurement management.
Targeted recruitment
Is your recruitment process going to facilitate
the process of employing Aboriginal people?
Make sure the application process is clear and
does not deter potential applicants. Alternatively
you may nominate a team member to take people
through the application process. Ensure that
the job advert explicitly encourages Aboriginal
people to apply, that is, includes the phrase
‘Aboriginal applicants encouraged to apply’.
Face-to-face interviews often involve a panel of up
to three people. This format can be intimidating for
applicants and may not be conducive to getting the
best out of some of them. Where possible include
an Aboriginal person in the selection process.
If you decide to use interviews as a selection
technique, make sure those involved understand
and support your company’s Aboriginal
employment objectives and have had cultural
awareness training. Be prepared to alter the
format to be less formal and incorporate
mechanisms for putting applicants at ease.
Techniques using assessment centres have shown
greater success. These techniques typically allow
you to bring together a group of applicants and
allow them to interact through structured tasks and
activities such as teamwork or problem solving.
During these activities you can take individual
applicants aside to talk with them to get a greater
understanding of their work ethic, organisational
cultural fit and personality. Aboriginal Australians
have reported that these types of techniques allow
them to feel more comfortable and behave in a way
that is more familiar to them.
When you talk with an applicant one-on-one,
make sure you identify some key questions you
would like answered, for example:
• Why do you want to be part of the
program/work here?
• What experience have you had working in
a team?
HR professionals or Aboriginal employment
agencies can provide advice and assistance in
developing appropriate processes and questions
to promote effective selection.
GenerationOne (2013), Everybody’s Business,
A handbook for Indigenous employment from
employers/?oid=MultiPartArticle-id-10715555
or
http://generationone.org.au/blog/2013/02/everybody-s-business-a-
handbook-for-indigenous-employment
DO
4 Select the most appropriate places to
advertise
4 Enlist the help of specialist Aboriginal
employment services professionals
4 Use activity based selection processes
4 Ensure assessment methods are as
welcoming and fostering as possible
4 Be explicit about position availability
4 Be explicit about what the role actually does
DON’T
8 Run a standard three panel member
interview that is not culturally appropriate
8 Make the process of applying onerous and
cumbersome
8 Adopt a one-size-fits-all campaign
17

Pre-employment programs
What are pre-employment programs?
Pre-employment programs are designed to help
prepare people for employment or further training
opportunities. Programs might aim to assist
potential employees gain skills or knowledge to
meet entry criteria. Programs often provide technical
training and workplace experience as well as
personal training, support and mentoring to assist
participants identify and overcome challenges that
might have been barriers in the past.
On completion it is anticipated that participants
will feel equipped and want to begin and
successfully complete an apprenticeship,
traineeship or gain employment.
Preparing for the Fly-In-Fly-Out
(FIFO) Lifestyle
For many people who choose to work in the
resources sector, FIFO becomes a way of life for
themselves and for their families. It is important
to realistically portray the lifestyle and challenges
of the FIFO life from the outset, as the reality can
be very different from the expectation. It is also
very different from what people have experienced
working in metropolitan areas. Successfully
preparing employees and trainees will help
decrease the risk of staff turnover. It can also
assist in reducing high operational costs whilst
you recruit and manage the day-to-day operations
while understaffed.
Running your own pre-employment
program
Funding may be available from the Australian
Government. You should discuss your plans with
the relevant Commonwealth Government agency.
The Perth Aboriginal Workforce Development
Centre facilitates a one-stop-shop pre-employment
program service for employers with guaranteed
entry-level jobs.
Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre:
http://www.trainingwa.wa.gov.au/awdc/detcms/portal/
Australian Government:
http://www.indigenous.gov.au
or
http://www.employment.gov.au
Gathering applicants
and advertising
> See also: Recruitment and selection
19

20 Traineeship
and
Employment

Induction and on-boarding
Induction
An induction or orientation program is the
process used to welcome new employees to a
company and prepare them for their new role.
It’s important because it provides an introduction
to the working environment and sets up the new
employees to the organisation with IT systems,
information and contacts. When done well,
an induction program creates a positive first
impression and gives the employee a sense of
the different aspects of the workplace.
Importantly, an induction program needs to cover
employer and employee rights and the terms and
conditions of employment. It must also cover any
legal and compliance requirements for working at
the company and pay attention to the health and
safety of the new employee.
Key Features
A typical induction program will include at least
some of the following:
• An introduction to the company. This may
include employee specific information regarding
the department in which they sit and how the
department fits within the overall operations
of the business. In addition, any legal
requirements (e.g. in some industries Health and
Safety training is obligatory) are also required.
• Introduction to terms and conditions (e.g. holiday
entitlement, how to make expense claims, etc.)
• Security passes and logins
• A guided tour of the premises
• Set-up of payroll details
• Introductions to key members of staff
• Specific job-role training
21
Employee induction
Getting started
Introduction to the organisation
Facilities and services
Employment conditions
Health, safety and environment
Policies, procedures and systems
Other
Make a good first impression!
Sort out new employees’
workstation and computer
access before they start.

Preparing the worksite
The induction process should have a timetable,
detailing induction activities for a set period of time
(ideally at least a week) for the new employee,
naming who will be responsible for each activity.
This plan should be circulated to everyone involved
in the induction process, including the new starter.
If possible it should be developed with the new
staff member or at least sent to them in advance.
Consider using a buddy system and allocating
someone to help the new employee within the first
few days/weeks.
Induction programs can be split over time but
should be planned out.
First day
• Security and computer login
• System and facilities orientation
• Team orientation and introductions
• Site walk around (exits and fire drills)
• Role clarity
• Employment conditions
First week
• Organisational context
• Introduction to other key stakeholders
• Intranet
• Organisation policies and code of conduct
First month
• Attendance at meetings
• Identify support and professional development
opportunities
• Provide feedback on performance
• Mentor/Buddy allocated
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) understood
First six months
• Regional site visits, if applicable
• Provide feedback on performance
First year
• Performance Review system
• Induction program evaluation
On-boarding
On-boarding, or organisational socialisation, is the
mechanism through which new employees acquire
the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours
to become effective organisational members and
insiders. Mechanisms used in this process include
formal meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials,
or computer-based orientations to introduce
newcomers to their new jobs and organisations.
Research shows that these socialisation techniques
lead to positive outcomes for new employees.
To increase the success of an on-boarding program,
it is important to monitor how well new employees
are adjusting to their roles, responsibilities,
peers, supervisors, and the organisation at large.
Researchers have noted that role clarity, autonomy,
social acceptance, and knowledge of organisational
culture are particularly good indicators of well-adjusted
new employees who have benefitted from
an effective on-boarding system.
On-boarding combines all employee development
facets including the induction program,
professional development program and any other
support structures like mentoring into a holistic
approach which ensures that employees are well
socialised into organisational culture.
22
Professional
Development
Orientation
Mentorship
Decreased
stress
chance of quitting
Successful
socialisation
Increased
job satisfaction
job performance
organisational commitment
Ongoing
Professional
Development

Traineeships and
apprenticeships
What is the difference?
Both traineeships and apprenticeships provide
participants with a way to combine practical
workplace experience with structured training.
In both cases the participant undertakes an
employment based training program that leads to
a nationally recognised qualification.
What is an RTO1?
A Registered Training Organisation ( RTO) provides
the formal training component of a traineeship
or apprenticeship. RTOs are registered by the
government and are required to confirm to specific
quality standards.
Some RTOs are private training organisations,
some are government funded State Training
Providers (previously TAFEs). Businesses can also
apply to be an Enterprise RTO if they meet the
necessary eligibility requirements.
Relationships with RTOs
If you are employing trainees or apprentices you
will likely be working with an RTO to develop
training plans and review their progress regularly.
Your responsibilities as an employer
As an employer you are expected to:
• Support your apprentice/trainee by providing
day to day on-the-job training and supervision
• Provide time off work to complete off-the-job
training
• Pay your apprentice/trainee for the duration of
the contract
Culturally aware RTOs
Seek out a training provider who is experienced
and successful at training Aboriginal participants.
Training approach
Working well with a diverse group of trainees
or employees requires different approaches to
training. This may require using a mixture of training
styles, for example observational experiential,
theoretical, practical, classroom delivery, etc.
Furthermore, when working with Aboriginal
employees needing on-the-job training, it is
advisable that supervisors and team leaders are
able to demonstrate and teach in a culturally
appropriate way. You may need to raise this with
your training provider.
At the outset, it pays to be flexible in planning and
delivering training. An effective way of achieving
outcomes is to discuss with the trainee or
employee their training preferences and needs
and work from there.
ApprentiCentre:
www.trainingwa.wa.gov.au/apprenticentre or 13 19 54
DO
4 Do use on-the-job training where possible
4 Make training delivery specific and
culturally appropriate
4 Raise this with your training provider to
make sure their delivery takes into account
the learning needs of Aboriginal Australians
4 Be flexible in how you teach staff
DON’T
8 Assume everyone will learn from traditional
methods or reading from a book
8 Assume everyone learns in the same way
23
1 A new quality framework, in which RTOs will be replaced by Licensed Training Organisations (LTOs), is currently in draft form. This is planned to
be phased in between 2014 and 2016.

What is a mentor?
Workplace mentoring is a one-on-one structured
relationship in which an employee receives support
and guidance from an experienced colleague
or nominated external mentor. This is to assist
them to develop their skills and better manage
the challenges of their work commitments, and in
some cases also non-work issues.
The relationship is based on trust and is supported
by the organisation with processes, training and
resources. Sound Aboriginal mentoring in the
workplace assists Aboriginal employees to engage
with and feel comfortable in the workplace.
Choosing a mentor
A mentor may be someone in the workplace –
it may be another Aboriginal employee who is
experienced and can guide the new employee or
trainee in negotiating the workplace environment
(i.e. terminology, protocols, processes, etc.).
Depending on the needs and confidence of the
Aboriginal employee, a non-Aboriginal mentor may
be more than adequate.
Alternatively, you may want to contract a mentor
from a local Aboriginal mentoring service. This may
be appropriate when the new employee is from
another area and may need some support settling
into a new social and cultural environment.
Preparing your mentors
Be very clear about the role you expect the
mentor to play. Ensure mentors understand the
significance of being a mentor and the importance
of that role to the organisation, and the potential
gains that can be made as a result.
Key skills for mentors
• Well developed interpersonal skills
• Good verbal communication skills
• Listening skills
• Problem solving and conflict resolution
• An interest in helping and developing people
• Empathy
• Ability to be professionally supportive
• Cultural competency
• Patience
Matching mentees and mentors
The success of mentoring is closely tied to
how well the mentor and mentee are matched.
To appropriately match mentees and mentors,
several issues need to be considered. The use of
some simple tools and documents will facilitate
these decisions.
• Make sure you have specified criteria outlined
for both the roles of the mentor and mentee,
and make sure the mentors and mentees are
selected based on these criteria, which should
include the mentors’ skills and qualifications.
• Make sure that you have a way to accurately
assess the expertise of potential mentors and
the needs of the mentees, as this will lead to a
good matching or appropriate pairing. This can
be done through a variety of methods, such
as having all mentees and mentors complete a
questionnaire regarding their skills, needs and
desired program outcomes.
Organisational context
Mentoring programs require a supportive
organisational environment, which nurtures a two-way
relationship through which both employees
and employers learn and benefit. In this context
you may want to consider:
• Developing a mentoring program within the
workplace to support Aboriginal employees. Work
toward a ‘whole of organisation’ commitment.
• Allocating adequate resources to ensure
mentors and mentees are suitably qualified,
skilled, committed and informed, including
cultural competency training (a more detailed
and in depth cultural awareness training
program) for non-Aboriginal mentors
• Facilitation of mentoring by providing the time
and an appropriate location for mentors and
mentees to meet
• Working with local Aboriginal communities,
creating an environment that facilitates
Aboriginal family support, career development,
on-going training and flexible work conditions
for mentees.
Mentoring
24

Mentor/mentee relationship
Some mentoring relationships extend over many
months or years, others for much shorter periods of
time. Mentoring relationships should only continue
as long as both parties are able to commit to the
relationship and it is meeting the agreed needs and
purpose. Different mentoring partnerships have
varying ‘rules’ about what is discussed and what
mentors are willing to assist with. It is important that
both mentee and mentor agree on the purpose of
the mentoring relationship. Confidentiality and trust is
an essential part of the mentoring partnership, which
must be preserved and respected by both parties.
A formal workplace mentoring relationship requires
management and administrative structures to
define and nurture it. The following are required:
• Appropriate matching of mentors and mentees
• Training of mentors and induction of mentees
• A structured program of communication
• Setting realistic goals and strategies to
achieve them
Alternatively some organisations may opt to use a
more informal relationship, which is more focussed
on solving employees’ problems. This type of
mentoring can be helpful; however, you need to
ensure that the relationship does not become
one of dependence. Rather it should result in
the employee developing the skills to address
professional problems as they arise.
The Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre website
lists Aboriginal mentoring services throughout WA:
mentors/?oid=MultiPartArticle-id-10819096
Aboriginal Mentoring Model
Organisation
• Supportive climate
• Training
• Operational resources
• Working with Aboriginal communities
Plan
relationship
Monitor and Evaluate
From Shelby Consulting, 2011.
Literature Review: Good practices mentoring for Aboriginal people in
Western Australia for Department of Training and Workforce Development.
25
A
B Define and
C Implement
D
Mentor
Skills knowledge
• Selection
• Training and
Development
• Structured
communication
• Management
Mentee
Skills development
DO
4 Ensure you have specified criteria for the
roles of both mentee and mentor
4 Ensure you have commitment from both
parties
4 Ensure you assess the skills of your mentors
4 Ensure that your mentors and mentees are
appropriately matched
4 Ensure you have a diverse and varied range
of mentors from all over the business across
all levels
4 Regularly assess the success of the
mentoring program and the relationships,
and alter accordingly
DON’T
8 Allow a power imbalance to arise between
the mentee and mentor
8 Assume that managers will automatically
make great mentors
8 Allocate a direct line manager as a mentor

Employee management
Work behaviour
Many new employees may have had limited work
experience, especially those from remote and
regional areas. It is the responsibility of employers to
be aware if this is the case and allocate more time
and effort in training and mentoring for employees
who are unfamiliar with the work environment.
It is important to be explicit in outlining your
expectations, and ways the employees will be
assisted in meeting those expectations. It is also
important to explain the consequences of
non-compliance with the organisation’s policies
and protocols.
A good support mechanism such as a mentoring
program can help if issues in this area arise.
> See also: Mentors
Addressing inappropriate behaviour
Inappropriate behaviour from employees can
be difficult to manage. For example, consistent
absenteeism particularly with Aboriginal employees
has raised issues for many employers.
Employers need to be aware their actions are fair
if issues are addressed through transparent and
consistent processes, which are applied to all
employees within the organisation.
It is imperative that employers address any
issues early and explicitly because failure to do
so inevitably results in inappropriate behaviour
continuing. It also runs the risk of generating a lack
of trust and resentment from other workers who
interpret failure to act as condoning the behaviour.
The employee’s mentor should be involved in the
disciplinary process.
However, there will be times where cultural
practices or obligations may require an exception,
i.e. bereavement leave (as discussed). These kinds
of exceptions are best dealt with at the outset of
employment whereby employer and employee
have a mutual agreement or understanding.
DO
4 Be aware of and respect Aboriginal
employees' cultural obligations
4 Set clear expectations and the
consequences of not meeting them
4 Address issues as they arise through a fair,
transparent and consistent process
4 Include the employee’s mentor/s in this
process
DON’T
8 Ignore issues
8 Fail to explore the reasons for
non-compliance of expectations
8 Neglect performance management
27

Reviewing and
measuring success
Reviewing program delivery and measuring
success is important to all businesses. Critical
to measuring anything is discerning what your
company wants to know, how to measure results
and what data you need to collect.
Often, workplaces fail to identify and measure the
success of their programs because they wait till the
end of the program to ask questions.
To identify outcomes brought about by your
program, data needs to be collected before it
starts to provide a baseline measurement.
This might be employment data or data from
a survey developed for this purpose. Future
data collected can be compared with this initial
snapshot to determine if the program is having
an effect. In addition, you should try to compare
the results of Aboriginal programs with the same
or similar data for non-Aboriginal programs.
Without the comparison, it is difficult to make an
adequate measurement of the success or failure
of the ‘Aboriginal program’.
What does success looks like?
Defining what success looks like is critical to being
successful. Key stakeholders need to discuss and
agree on the terms of success, which inevitably
helps to avoid misunderstanding and failure.
What are KPIs?
Key performance indicators (KPIs) help
organisations define and achieve goals.
They are quantifiable measurements, agreed to
beforehand that reflect the desired outcomes.
KPIs are important as they provide valuable
feedback on how effective and realistic the
original objectives were. They provide guidance
and learnings for the future as well as ongoing
opportunities for improvement.
DO
4 Collaboratively agree on what constitutes a
successful outcome
4 Commit to an outcome statement in writing
4 Reach agreement from all stakeholders on
outcomes and KPIs
4 Ensure all stakeholders have a common
understanding of terminology and
definitions being used.
4 Develop SMART goals: Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound
4 Plan and provide resources for monitoring and
evaluating the program, and implementing
recommendations designed to improve it
Specific
Attainable
DON’T
S
A
8 Assume that everyone is striving for the
same outcome
8 Create KPIs which are not shared by all
stakeholders
8 Create KPIs and then not measure them
8 Create KPIs unreflective of the desired
outcomes
8 Wait until the end of your program to
measure its success
29
SMART Goals Setting
Measurable
Relevant
Time-Bound
M
R
T
Mistakes in setting goals
too
big
too
many
not
specific
not
written

140128 ps-ritc final reference guide

Level 10, 2 Mill Street
Perth WA, 6000
Locked Bag N984
Perth WA 6844
F: +61 8 9221 3701
www.ritcwa.com.au
Nigel Haywood
Manger
P: +61 8 9220 8538
E N.Haywood@cmewa.com
Images courtesy of
Cliffs Natural Resources,
Fortescue Metals Group,
Newmont Mining Corporation,
Rio Tinto and
Woodside Energy Ltd.

140128 ps-ritc final reference guide

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