Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from students from regional NSW, are invited to express interest in participating in a three-day immersive career experience in Sydney. This program connects students with industry professionals and career pathways, designed to inspire them to see how their future careers can make a meaningful impact in their local communities.

Program Overview

What students will experience:

• Discover careers in Technology, Tourism, Aviation, STEM, Infrastructure, and Hospitality through immersive site visits and practical activities
• Engage with the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, Indigenous leaders, community members, and industry professionals to explore culturally relevant career pathways
• Gain insights into skills, qualifications, and pathways for apprenticeships, traineeships, scholarships, and employment
• Connect Sydney-based experiences to regional opportunities, inspiring students to see how their careers can contribute to their local communities.

Scheduled site visits

Confirmed locations include:

• Taronga Zoo

• Western Sydney Airport

• Schools Infrastructure NSW construction site

• Kimberwalli Aboriginal Centre for Excellence

• One Giant Leap Australia Foundation

• National Indigenous Culinary Institute

Key Details

• Expressions of Interest (EOI) close: To be confirmed

• Participant limit: 20 students

• Notification of successful EOI: To be confirmed

• School involvement: Schools may nominate multiple students

• Transport: Students must arrange their own travel to and from the tour

• Cost: Accommodation, catering, and activities are provided at no cost to students

• Risk assessment: will be supplied upon confirmation of attendance

Contacts:

Amy Greenshields, Career and Workplace Learning, Careers and Pathways Programs careerworkplacelearning@det.nsw.edu.au

Belinda Standage, Aboriginal Education and Communities Directorate: schoolsandtransitionscorro@det.nsw.edu.au

Careers and Pathways Programs and Aboriginal Education and Communities directorates, in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), have created a workplace learning program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This initiative aims to support transitions from school to post-school pathways, focusing on careers in digital technology.

This program is designed for students who are interested or curious about a career in the digital technology industry.

Students will:

• Learn about diverse roles in the digital tech sector
• Participate in engaging seminars and hands-on cloud-based activities
• Build career readiness with support from AWS’s recruitment experts
• See real-world cloud tech in action, presented through AWS’s most exciting local customers

2026 Amazon Web Services Workplace Learning Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

Program dates: To be confirmed

Location: Amazon Web Service’s Sydney office - L37, 2 Park Street, Sydney 2000.

Who can apply: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 9-11 from across NSW.

How to apply: To be confirmed

Please forward the Amazon Workplace Learning Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' opportunity, to anyone who might be interested.

Contacts:

Arthur Zigas, Career and Workplace Learning: CareerWorkplaceLearning@det.nsw.edu.au

Belinda Standage, Aboriginal Education and Communities Directorate: schoolsandtransitionscorro@det.nsw.edu.au

Supporting documents:

Career and Workplace Learning are collaborating with local councils to provide a structured and supported work experience opportunity for students with disability.

This includes the possibility of students transitioning into School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships, leading to full-time ongoing employment

Many councils have targeted the improvement of the employment of people with disability or have this included in their policy documents.

Mel Risby - People & Culture Officer - Wagga Wagga City Council
The Kids in Council program really aligned to the values of what we were trying to create for our work experience program. The schools would understand that we can specifically take kids with all different types of disabilities or learning issues. We can customise work experience with supervisors that will really look after them in that space. That might look like taster days, where the kids can come and try different things. It could look like doing a week of work experience with us. From the work experience, they then are getting a taste of what it might look like to do a school-based traineeship with us. And from a school-based traineeship, they may even then choose to come into a full time traineeship with us. So the work experience program is really the start of their journey with us. There was 11 students on our taster tour today. We had a fantastic day with them.

Janine McBeath - Job Coach - Willans Hill School
It's opened their eyes to a whole different world. It's been a really supportive, safe environment for the students.

Phoenix - Student - Kooringal High School
The highlight today, possibly the birds as well as probably the brown python, Been a real fun day.

Mel Risby - People & Culture Officer - Wagga Wagga City Council
A few great examples of what's come from this program is Lily and Waylon. Lily has been our success story and she has blown everyone away. Waylon has been doing work experience with us in our Parks and Gardens crew.

Lilly - Student - Kooringal High School
During my experience with the Civic Theatre, I learnt how they spread the word of new shows. As a result of my work experience, I was given the opportunity to apply for a SBAT. Through my SBAT, I was able to complete a customised module course through Australian College of Commerce and Management. When it came to Year 10, I did some work experience with Theatre Royal Sydney, which was so exciting.

Waylon - Student - Kooringal High School
What I love about work experience, I talk to people, meet new people. On a normal day, I clean the fountain and make sure thing’s tidy. The guys that I work with, they help me out.

Stacey Suidgeest - Senior Project Officer - Regional Industry Education Partnerships
The benefit for the council, it gives them exposure to a range of different students. If there was an opportunity later on down the track, they've already got that contact with one another and know what skill level. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Janine McBeath - Job Coach - Willans Hill School
Quite often, the most difficult part of our job is that when the children are looking to leave the school environment, it's rather terrifying for them. So having specific programs that would help them make that transition from school into work would be amazing.

Waylon - Student - Kooringal High School
Maybe after school, I can get an apprenticeship.

Tahlia - Student - Kooringal High School
After school, I'm thinking about doing hospitality.

Lilly - Student - Kooringal High School
I now know that I want to be in the creative theatre industry, spread awareness of things that are just important to me, and creatively express that.

Stacey Suidgeest - Senior Project Officer - Regional Industry Education Partnerships
Local councils can get involved in the program by either reaching out to their local schools or you can contact your RIEP officer by going online with the New South Wales Department of Education and searching for ‘RIEP’.

Mel Risby - People & Culture Officer - Wagga Wagga City Council
The advice I would give to other councils is absolutely do it. The support is there. It's rewarding not only for you as an organisation but running this program, it reminds you why you do what you do.

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