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Westpac to recruit 400 CareerTrackers Indigenous Interns over 10 years

 

19 January 2015

Westpac Group today announced it has signed a 10-year contract with CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship program to recruit at least 40 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander university student interns each year for the next decade.

This is the largest commitment to the CareerTrackers program by an Australian corporate.  

Westpac Group’s Christine Parker, Group Executive Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, said this initiative was part of the Group’s plans to create meaningful career opportunities for Indigenous Australians, as outlined in its 2014-17 Reconciliation Action Plan. 

“This agreement marks a significant milestone in our relationship with CareerTrackers and in our commitment to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to prosper and grow,” Ms Parker said. 

“Since becoming a foundation partner of CareerTrackers in 2011, we’ve been impressed by the value it has created for the 45 talented young Indigenous students who have come through Westpac, eager to embark on their careers.

“It’s also given us a great opportunity to tap into some of the best university students in Australia, with some of our interns now full time employees with us.

“Dialling up the number of our interns so significantly over the coming decade will help open doors for many more talented Indigenous students, many of whom we hope will enjoy long successful careers with Westpac Group.”

CareerTrackers CEO Michael Combs said he was thrilled the partnership with Westpac had been extended for a further 10 years. 

“The ongoing, long term commitment announced by Westpac today is a reflection of the positive results and great momentum CareerTrackers is continuing to achieve,” Mr Combs said.

“It also provides certainty that a further 400 Indigenous students will benefit from accelerating their professional development, opening doors to careers following their passions, participating in tailored development training and contributing to their communities.

“This agreement puts us well on track to meeting our aim to have 300 ‘alumni’ by 2017 – having both graduated from university and CareerTrackers,” he said.

Westpac’s announcement comes just days before the largest gathering of Indigenous university students convenes for CareerTracker’s annual National Conference. During the four day event, 350 interns from all over Australia will hear from inspirational speakers and undertake personal and professional development to help equip them become leaders in their chosen fields and communities. 

Background

About Westpac Group’s partnership with CareerTrackers

  • Following Westpac’s first intake of CareerTrackers interns in 2011, Westpac’s philanthropic organisation, Westpac Foundation, recognised CareerTrackers’ potential and capacity to make a significant social impact.  As a result, in 2012 Career Trackers successfully applied for a Catalyst Grant from Westpac Foundation providing the financial boost necessary to aid its early and steady growth into a maturing social enterprise.
  • CareerTrackers CEO, Michael Combs, was the inaugural winner of a Westpac Community Leader award in 2013 – recognised for the success of CareerTrackers and his commitment to measuring the social impact of his organisation.
  • Since 2011, 45 CareerTrackers interns from a wide range of universities have been placed across Westpac Group.  Internships have been in a variety of business units in retail and business banking, legal and secretariat, human resources and communication, project development and financial markets, in Perth, Darwin and Sydney.
  • The three Westpac CareerTracker interns that have graduated from university have taken permanent roles within Westpac Group.
  • From FY15, Westpac will welcome around 40 new CareerTrackers interns each year for the next 10 years. The intention is for as many of these interns as possible to take on permanent roles upon graduation and to enjoy successful careers with Westpac Group.

About CareerTrackers

  • CareerTrackers is a national non-profit organisation that creates cadetship opportunities with the private sector for talented Indigenous Australian university students. The organisation recruits Indigenous university students and place them with private sector employers to participate in multi-year cadetships.
  • By 2017, CareerTrackers expects to have 300 ‘alumni’ – having both graduated from university and CareerTrackers.
  • Career Trackers’ aim is for students to convert from cadets to full-time employees upon completion of their university degree. CareerTrackers supports these students on an ongoing basis, with networking, training and mentoring opportunities.
  • CareerTrackers cadets are typically high performing students, driven to their best, for themselves, their families and their communities – as well as their employers. The success of this program is helping to significantly lift graduation levels of Indigenous Australian university students – with graduates typically achieving distinction or high credit averages.