Pictured: General Manager Indigenous Participation Byron Davis and Program Coordinator Kara Lamb at the Asuria Employer Awards.

Supporting First Nations employees to gain employment with Ventia and then to thrive in a culturally safe and inclusive workplace is both a job and a passion for those in our TRECCA team. 

Their hard work and dedication has been recognised by government services provider Asuria, who recently acknowledged a number of Australian business in their Employer Awards. 

Taking home the First Nations Excellence Award, the judges praised TRECCA’s dedication and the efforts that have gone in to tailoring and personalising our organisation’s approach to recruitment and retention. 

They noted that the program is “tailored to the strengths of Indigenous individuals, effectively breaking down cultural, logistical, and legal obstacles to employment.”

Pictured: Program Coordinator Kara Lamb accepting at the First Nations Excellence Award alongside Project Manager Indigenous Employment Steve Mitchell.

TRECCA Program Coordinator Kara Lamb says that being nominated by Asuria for this award was an honour, especially as we were up against well-known organisations who have their own robust programs.

We’ve partnered with Asuria to create employment programs that enable different pathways into employment for First Nations candidates.

TRECCA Program Coordinator Kara Lamb says that being nominated by Asuria for this award was an honour, especially as we were up against well-known organisations who have their own robust programs.

“In particular, we worked to give opportunities within our Ventia Operations Centre, or VOC, which supports projects right across our organisation,” Kara says.

Kara notes that traditional recruitment processes would have likely filtered out many First Nations candidates, so ensuring Ventia’s approach helped break down those barriers was key. 

Pictured: Project Manager Indigenous Employment Steve Mitchell accepting First Nations Excellence Award at the Asuria Employer Awards.

Project Manager Steve Mitchell says the TRECCA team are partnering with organisations like Asuria in key regions, such as Western Sydney, to engage and employ more First Nations people.

“The VOC team were super excited to get moving on this,” Steve says. “These partnerships get great outcomes for Indigenous jobseekers and TRECCA are here to help.” 

Project Director Housing Ian Ryles and Contract Director SAPMICM Colette Ellis-Paterson both shared their pride in the team, noting their contributions to growing First Nations employment on each of their contracts at Ventia. 

“The award win is a fantastic achievement the team should be proud of,” Colette says.

TRECCA do some wonderful things here in South Australia and have found us some amazing employees.

The judging panel for the award included senior Board and organisational representatives with experience in and passion for diversity, employment and skills programs and the inclusion of under-leveraged talent.  

More information on Ventia’s approach to Indigenous engagement and employment can be found here.