The Federation is developing a strategic framework to help Traditional Owner corporations grow the size, skills and long-term sustainability of their workforces.
We know Traditional Owners working on and for Country is about more than filling vacancies: it’s about using meaningful work to meet obligations to care for Country and strengthen language and culture. This work will chart a practical path for Traditional Owner corporations to grow the size, skills and long-term sustainability of their workforces – and keep culture strong in the process.
The Workforce Development Strategy responds directly to issues from Traditional Owner corporations during engagement in our role as Closing the Gap sector representative for employment and economic development and in developing the Traditional Owner Economic Development Roadmap.
We heard: many barriers exist to finding and keeping the right people on-Country – but if you can, it helps Traditional Owner corporations meet important obligations to Country, community, and culture on behalf of their communities.
Traditional Owners working on and for Country inherently protects, promotes and strengthens culture and language. This principle is fundamental to the Workforce Development Strategy.
This project is funded under the second Closing the Gap priority reform – sector strengthening – under its priority focus of strengthening language and culture. We’ll deliver the final strategy in December 2025. Then, advocacy for its implementation begins: we’ll seek the systemic and resourcing changes required for Traditional Owner corporations to build strong ,skilled and sustaining workforces on-Country.
What we’re working on
- Currently: hearing directly from Traditional Owner Corporations about the context and challenges of staffing on-Country, and doing desktop research that draws together previous and current studies on workforce development.
- Up next: synthesising that information into key themes to present to Traditional Owner Corporations for validation and feedback.
