Koori Mail The Voice of Indigenous Australia Koori Mail E D U C AT I O N 2 0 1 The Voice of Indigenous Australia Taylor looks to media AGOONA student Taylor Chalmers has transformed her career prospects by signing up for a unique mentoring program as part of her Bachelor of Arts with a Bachelor of Laws course at Macquarie University. As a student who came close to not receiving her School Certificate, Taylor gained her university admission and acceptance to the program through Macquarieʼs Department of Indigenous Studies (Warawara) – Alternative Entry Pathway program, and has since embraced every opportunity it has afforded her. “Uni was something far out of sight and out of mind, but somehow I completed everything,” Taylor said. “Through the Warawara intake scheme I got into uni and then got accepted to be a part of this program... I still canʼt believe itʼs all real and Iʼve gotten this far.” An Indigenous student whose people are from Wiradjuri (western NSW) country, Taylor applied for and was accepted into the SBS NITV Indigenous Media Mentorship. An initiative of SBS, NITV, the Ethnic Communitiesʼ Council of NSW, and Macquarie University, the mentorship aims to kick-start the media careers of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students in the media, and boost the representation of diversity in Australian media outlets. “This program aims to place more Indigenous faces out there in the media. By bringing us together it empowers us and unites our identity, which I find especially Y good in my case; the fair-skinned-face Aboriginal,” Taylor said. Over three years, the program offers students a full calendar of activities, workshops, media events and one-on-one mentoring with staff at SBS or NITV. “My work at the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) was an amazing experience, where I got to go behind the scenes, and take part in interviewing some of the artists,” Taylor said. “The program really is beneficial for both my degree and career because already Iʼve been given so many insights and experience; it gives you a boost and sets you apart.” Considering her future Taylor has been working on her networking skills and voice training, as she considers which direction she wants to head in the media. “I hope to gain much experience, knowledge and connections within the media industry, and hopefully gain work at the end or just to have established myself in the right way, with the right people to kick-start my career once I finish,” she said. The SBS NITV Indigenous Media Mentorship program will soon recruit for the 2015 intake. More information is available at mq.edu.au/ The Warawara Alternative Entry program provides an opportunity to Indigenous people who may not have completed their Higher School Certificate or acquired a necessary ATAR for entry into their degree of choice. More information at warawara.mq.edu.au/pathway Macquarie University student Taylor Chalmers: “Through the Warawara intake scheme I got into uni and then got accepted to be a part of this program... I still canʼt believe itʼs all real and Iʼve gotten this far.” Discover the exciting opportunities for Indigenous students at Macquarie University M Macquarie acquarie Univ University ersit y offers offfers e a wide-range wide learning -range of lear ning opportunities, oppor undergraduate tunities, with under graduate deg rees in education, la degrees law, science,, w, science studies,, business and IIndigenous ndigenous studies postgraduate Master and a post graduate M aster of IIndigenous ndigenous Education. Education. Wee also off W offer fffeer opportunities oppor tunities tto o par participate ticipate in M Macquarie’s acquarie’s unique PACE PACE (Professional (Proffessional and Community e Communit y program. ogram. P PACE ACE Engagement) pr gives practical tical experience experience g ives yyou ou prac you while yyou’re ou’re still a student so you headstartt on yyour our career. career. can get a headstar Warawara-Department W arawara-Depar tment of IIndigenous ndigenous Studies is a culturally sensitivee lear learning ning space that will sensitiv supportt and guide yyou during ou dur ing suppor Macquarie. acquarie. We We offer offer yyour our time at M alternative entryy pathways, pathways, alt ernative entr Abstudy,, assistance with Abstudy scholarships,, access to computer scholarships to comput er supportt to labs and tuition suppor to help yyou ou with yyour our studies. studies. Alternative Entry Alternative Entr y Program Program testing testing dayy applications ar da aree no now w open. For mor For more e inf information ormation ccontact: ontac t: I ndigenous Student Student Emily Sutton, Sutton, Indigenous fficer Suppor Supportt O Officer TT:: (02) 9850 4209 E: e [email protected] [email protected] CRICOS Provider 00002J The Voice of Indigenous Australia A melia C orr, C ommonwealth Amelia Corr, Commonwealth P rograms Suppor fficer Programs Supportt O Officer TT:: (02) 9850 8624 E: amelia.c [email protected] [email protected] THE KOORI MAIL, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014. 59