Tracking our journeys: Insights from CareerTracker to CareerTracker

In this Q&A, CareerTrackers intern and proud Wiradjuri woman Zenae Powell and CareerTrackers graduate, now Communications Coordinator, and Gamilaroi woman Keisha Preston, talk about their journeys and what IBA means to them.

CareerTrackers is a national program that creates paid internship opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Since 2009, they have supported over 3000 internships with an alumni of over 1000 strong First Nations professionals.

Q: What are you currently studying and why?

Zenae: I am currently studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indigenous Studies and a minor in Early/Primary Education at Macquarie University. I choose a Bachelor of Arts since it’s flexible and provides the opportunity to study anywhere in the world. I choose Indigenous Studies since I wanted to connect to culture.

My great grandmother was a part of the stolen generations, and a lot of my family did not get the same opportunities as I did. This course allows me to stay close to mob and learn about all the First Nations peoples globally.

Keisha: I studied a Bachelor of Communications & Media. I feel like we’re lucky to get an education and to have the privilege to work and hopefully pave the way for future generations to come through these pathways, and to have these opportunities.

Q: What was your journey to CareerTrackers?

Keisha: I heard about CareerTrackers from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander unit at the University of Canberra where I was studying at the time. I’ve ended up completing four internships, my first two were at Rugby Australia and then when the opportunity to join IBA popped up, I jumped at it. ?

Zenae: I heard about CareerTrackers through my Aboriginal Coordinator from my high school. At the time, CareerTrackers were starting a new program to let high school students experience one-week unpaid internships in the school holidays. I did five internships in total, two during high school and three after I graduated. My third one now is currently with IBA.

Q: What attracted you to CareerTrackers?

Zenae: I love trying new things and being able to better myself in any possible way – gaining new skills, networking and gaining experience in different fields. I also liked how CareerTrackers allowed me to connect with mob and be inspired by the different career paths I could take.

Keisha: I was much the same. I knew that marketing is a competitive industry and that I needed to be doing more than just getting a degree if I wanted to be successful and stand out from the crowd come graduation. CareerTrackers gave me the opportunity to get on the job experience and grow my skills while I was still studying.

Q: What made you interested in IBA?

Keisha: When I first started at CareerTrackers, I was looking through the partners and figuring out where to intern. When I saw IBA, I was pretty excited. My mum got her first home loan through IBA back in 2015 and it’s unlocked so many more opportunities for her.

It’s a privilege to have an opportunity to get a degree, so I wanted to use it in way that gives back to my people. I love that IBA is helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people grow their ideas and dreams.

At the time IBA wasn’t hiring interns in their communications team, so I had to go elsewhere. Nearly two years later, an opportunity popped up and I jumped on it.

Zenae: I needed a change from my last internship since I wanted to focus more on mob and community. When I was going through potential internships, I found IBA, which I previously had no knowledge about. After doing a little bit of research I realised IBA aligned with my interests and career goals.

I really like how passionate IBA is with helping mob and providing opportunities for our community.

Q: Where do you see yourself in the future?

Keisha: I’ve been lucky enough to turn my CareerTrackers internship into a graduate role and just recently into a permanent full-time position as a Communications Coordinator, which was a massive goal of mine. There are so many opportunities to grow at IBA and I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me. I love being able to work with so many inspiring people and our deadly customers who are starting their own businesses and buying homes, I’d love to one day follow in their footsteps.

Zenae: Originally, I wanted to study Indigenous health and become a neurosurgeon, but I changed career paths because I wanted to travel and have flexibility while still working with mob.

Mob inspires me and I want to inspire them. I want them to have the opportunities that so many of us miss out on and be able to accomplish the things we were destined to do.

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Find out more about CareerTrackers at careertrackers.org.au or what IBA does at iba.gov.au .?