NAIDOC week (National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee) is a time to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples making the most of their opportunities in all walks of life. And we’re also celebrating an important milestone of our own…

Ben’s story

Ben Thomson didn’t know he wanted to work in banking, but when his Aunty told him about our full-time Traineeship program, he soon realised it was a perfect fit.

The 12-month traineeship program helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders learn the skills they need to succeed in a career in finance, with on-the-job training, professional development and a full time job with the Bank when their course is finished.

Ben soon found himself working as a teller in our Redfern branch, with regular courses to build his professional skills.

“It wasn’t all just about working in the Bank,” he says. “We learned skills that you can use anywhere.” As a result, Ben’s traineeship has created new opportunities for him to realise his full potential.

“I don’t want to stay a teller forever. I want to keep moving up in the Bank, and see where I end up.”

A week of celebrations

Ben’s traineeship is just one of the initiatives created under our Indigenous Employment Strategy, designed to help close the Indigenous employment gap. This July, we’re celebrating a milestone, having reached our target of creating 350 employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander job seekers with us since 2009.

And 1 July 2012 is also the start of NAIDOC week — a seven-day celebration of the richness and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and of the achievements of people like Ben. So we’re proud to be a sponsor of the National NAIDOC Awards and events around the country.

Find out more

You can show your support for Indigenous employment and experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture at first hand by going along to a NAIDOC week celebration near you. Find out more at www.naidoc.org.au.

You can also learn more about how we are helping Indigenous Australians reach their full employment potential by watching our video or reading our Reconciliation Action Plan.