Journey into the Arts
Andrea Daniels, a proud Yuin Monaro woman, discovered fresh horizons through her ArtsReady traineeship at NIDA, igniting a deep passion for the arts and fueling her aspiration to empower young First Nations youth.
Andrea grew up on Dhawaral country with family ties in Gurang Gurang and Dunghutti tribes. The people around her inspired her to want to learn more and do more for First Nations people. Her great-grandfather and grandfather were activists in Indigenous Land Rights and part of the Land Right Council for Indigenous Peoples.
As they journeyed across Australia, they passionately discussed the significance of these issues. Andrea’s close friend advocates for First Nations individuals impacted by the Don Dale Incarceration system in Darwin. Inspired by their friend’s work, Andrea aspires to make her own meaningful contributions towards system reform.
Andrea’s ongoing passion for making a difference, lead her to the traineeship at, Australia’s leading Centre for Education and Training in the performing arts. She knew this was the perfect opportunity for her.
“I have always wanted to work in the Indigenous field, and I have always been interested in the arts, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to just put my name in and see what happens,” said Andrea.
In 2020, Andrea got a job at NIDA and started her Certificate III in Business.
“I am essentially the first contact for our open courses – when people call to enquire, they come to me first, I help them with information and liaise with them as best I can or direct them to the most appropriate person needed. I send information, give direct information, take enrolments, process money and I am involved within the privacy sector of the business, I structure emails and do general administration.”
NIDA offers many courses in the arts and creative industries and a real highlight of Andrea’s traineeship is that she can do any of them.
“It’s part of my training that I can do any course for free so I’ve just enrolled in a course called “the confident voice” which I thought would be really good and seems to align with my work.”
All of AFL SportsReady’s First Nations trainees are supported by a Mentor to help them succeed in their traineeship. For Andrea, the support that she has received has been invaluable.
Her supervisor, James Handsaker, also completed a traineeship with ArtsReady and got his career start with NIDA.
“My supervisor at NIDA, Mentor and Field Officer at AFL SpotsReady have been great supporters for me. They have helped with my education, personal everyday life and have even connected me with a counselling service… I didn’t realise this was all part of the traineeship.
Honestly, I would recommend doing a traineeship, It’s a great opportunity. You get to work and study at the same time, and you’re always supported by these great people, which is awesome.”
Andrea’s bright future is undeniable as she excels in her traineeship and future career. Her profound dedication to the First Nations space ensures ongoing contributions to the Indigenous community.
Come and join Trainees like Andrea who have already taken advantage of the diverse and thrilling opportunities available across multiple industries. Kickstart your career with us today!
Filling out our expression of interest form can be a useful step if you are unable to find a specific job opening. This can help us identify candidates for future opportunities and reach out to you if a relevant opportunity becomes available.
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