A new program will take trainees across land and sea to learn how to care for both environments.

Trainees will work near their own homes to learn the specifics of their local environment, coastal conditions, future planning and other important information to care for the land.

Students in Territory Natural Resource Management’s new Indigenous NRM traineeship program will also be able to earn Conservation Land Management or Rural Operations qualifications.

Anna Gilfillan, the Indigenous capacity development coordinator with Territory Natural Resource Management, says the scheme is all about fostering local talent to get keen about helping the environment.

“We know there is a wealth of talent and a lot of people seeking work on country in Aboriginal communities, but there are obstacles in terms of limited paid employment and career progression prospects,” she said in an interview this week.

“The aim of the pilot is to build the capacity of local people and to support Indigenous land management organisations in fostering growth and development in local talent.

“The trainee will be given the opportunity to work locally, gain a qualification and will also gain exposure to wider NRM activities and networks through working with TNRM.

“Currently the Indigenous NRM Traineeship program is in its infancy, but our aspiration is to grow the program to involve as many committed individuals and organisations as we can to work together in building capacity at ground level in communities throughout the Northern Territory.”

More information on the Indigenous NRM Traineeship Pilot Program is available here.