ATO initiative to employ local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people

APPLICATIONS have opened for an Australian Taxation Office (ATO) initiative that is specifically seeking to employ Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Geelong.

The Evergreen Program, which is being rolled out in eight ATO offices across Australia, is an opportunity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples to launch a career with the ATO that has on-the-job training, support, and the offer of an ongoing position at the end of the program.

“The Evergreen Program offers a career pathway for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who want to gain valuable work experience, build professional capabilities, and learn new skills,” ATO Indigenous champion deputy commissioner Matthew Hay said.

“It opens the door for you to take charge of your career while doing meaningful work in a supportive environment.”

The program offers many benefits, including a competitive starting salary package of more than $66,868 ($57,945 plus 15.4 per cent super), structured on-the-job and corporate training, certified training, and a workplace that is inclusive, supportive, professional and promotes equal opportunities.

On successful completion of the program, participants will have a permanent job, a formal qualification, and an advancement of their salary package to more than $75,712 ($65,609 plus 15.4 per cent super).

“The ATO is a big organisation that offers big opportunities for your career, and can help make a difference to their community,” Mr Hay said.

Penrith’s Shakeela Williams is a former participant in the Evergreen Program.

“As a teenager living in a small Aboriginal community in regional NSW, I dreamt of something more, something bigger for my life, outside of country living,” she said.

“I didn’t think that getting my foot in the door at an organisation like the ATO was possible without attending higher education. However, the Evergreen Program has proved me wrong.

“A pathway to a career in the public sector, experiencing two different rotations in separate sections of the ATO, as well as studying a certificate IV in Project Management, it has given me great exposure to the opportunities that lie within.”

The ATO says its ideal Evergreen candidate:

• Has competent written and verbal communication skills and customer service experience
• Has good computer skills and can operate in a Windows environment
• Is resilient, flexible and independent
• Is a team player
• Takes a proactive approach to their work and embraces challenges
• Has a willingness to learn, and
• Is passionate, committed, professional, energetic and determined to serve the community.

Applications are open until Wednesday, May 4. For more information, head to the ATO’s website.