In 2025 the GROW program, under Training for the Future, delivered three GROW Yarning sessions in collaboration with an Aboriginal owned and controlled business and a Workforce Australia funded employment service. The sessions aimed to demystify the employment pathways into transport and infrastructure industries for First Peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people).
Building off the Mob Jobs and SYC pre-employment program “Start your deadly career”, GROW Yarnings introduced industry employers and Big Build delivery partners to First Nations job seekers in an informal and culturally safe session.
Through career pathway awareness building, job readiness training, cultural connections and industry networking opportunities, the program provides participants a supportive and culturally safe environment to explore opportunities.
The GROW Yarning model's strength lies in levelling the playing field by removing traditional power imbalances. Instead of formal interviews or standard recruitment processes, the yarning circle format creates relaxed, culturally safe conversations where employers with real job opportunities can demystify industry pathways while jobseekers can connect authentically without the pressure of traditional hiring barriers.
