MGN410 Case Study: Analyzing QUT's Indigenous Employment Strategy

This case study analyzes Queensland University of Technology's (QUT) Indigenous Employment Strategy, which aligns with the QUT Blueprint and aims to increase employment and development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The study highlights the importance of the strategy, emphasizing the need for Indigenous involvement in employment and decision-making to ensure social justice and contribute to the nation's integrity. It explores the benefits of a diverse workplace, particularly in addressing skill shortages and promoting cultural awareness. The analysis provides advice to QUT, including recommendations for respecting cultural beliefs, creating meaningful opportunities, enabling equitable outcomes, and promoting QUT as an employer of choice. The case study underscores the significance of Indigenous participation in policy and the need for continuous improvement through various initiatives such as staff forums and cultural competency workshops.

Running Head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Case Study Analysis
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Case Study Summary
QUT has the strategy document QUT blueprint that positions QUT into the future. The
QUT indigenous employment strategy which outlines the approaches and the commitments for
increasing the employment along with the development scope for the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples. The aims of their strategy is to engage most of the Torres Island staffs
and ensure that they receive perfect understanding and knowledge of the indigenous perspective
which would be useful for them in future. The QUT also aimed at increasing the community
engagement of the University along with the people of the Torres Island making good use of
their involvement in the decision making. Apart from this, they also have strategies for
enhancing the enrolment of the indigenous people. The annual report of the QUT can be a better
reflection of its current performances.
Importance of the issue

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In terms of good policy, the involvement of the indigenous people in the employment as
well as in the decision making is necessary for impacting on their lives. It means that the
governments have the responsibility to involve the indigenous people in the implementation,
designing, monitoring and evaluation of the policies which can affect them. The government is
also responsible for avoiding any type of adverse impacts. The Aboriginal Torres Strait Island
Act (2005) suggests the government should ensure that there is maximum participation of the
Aboriginal people and the Torres Strait Islanders in the formulation and the implementation of
the policies which relate to them. The government will be at the risk of failure, if they do not
engage them in their services. Hence, the issue is highly important for the maintenance of peace
and integrity within the nation and the society. The long term and sustainable improvements in
the lives of the indigenous people is necessary up to greater extent. Moreover, it is also
important to encourage the regional indigenous participatory mechanisms in the new
arrangements.
The federal government has released some of the guidelines which indicates the
indigenous representative structure at the regional level. It constitutes an important change in the
process. The absence of the appropriate mechanisms in the participation of the indigenous people
is considered as a severe policy failure. It is necessary and highly important as per the Australian
human rights legislation, obligations and the rights of government’s own policies. There are two
principles participation of the indigenous people in the decision making process. Firstly, it has
been stated in some of the reform processes that it is under no obligation to consult with the
indigenous people. It has contributed to reduce the effectiveness of the value proposition on the
indigenous participation and engagement. Secondly, as a result of the bilateral agreements of the
federal governments, the government has continued to distance the indigenous people from the

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policy priorities. It is against the central policy to lack the engagement with the indigenous
peoples. It will be a failure also in the part of the shared responsibility, the commitments to the
partnership and the mutual obligations. Hence the importance of the indigenous participation
aggravates because it is necessary for the governments to stay consistent with the different
commitments made by the governments. As per the Council on Australian Government. This
process helps to identify the sustainable options for the establishment of the national indigenous
representative body.
However, there are various benefits of encouraging a diverse workplace which welcomes
the employees of different backgrounds, including the Indigenous Australian which brings a
range of advantages to the business. In the ageing workforce, the shortage of skills is an
important issue barring the competitive advantage among in the current market. The QUT will
gain different advantages of encouraging diversity in the workplace. The business can be
enhanced from various perspectives, the knowledge and the experience of the indigenous people.
The indigenous people can easily contribute to the development of the cross-cultural awareness
in the workplace. As found from a latest report, almost 56 % of the indigenous Australians are
under the age group of 25-35 when compared to the rest of the population. The indigenous
population of Australia has faster growth than the non-indigenous people.
Advice to the issue
As an advice it can be said that the Queensland University of Technology must have
proper respect for the diverse cultural, spiritual and social belief systems which are practiced by
the people of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island. They must acknowledge the wealth of the
cultural knowledge, perspectives and skills of the Torres Island people. They employees of the
Island must be recognized when they are fully engaged staff members of the University. They

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should create sustainable and meaningful opportunities for the people across the research,
academic, professional field in the University. The Islander people in the University should be
concerned during the implementation of any policy or workplace practices. It will support them
to achieve their full potential. The QUT should enable the Islander people to achieve the
equitable outcomes in the hiring, retention and the career development. The faculties of the
Institute and the divisions in the University should develop internal targets and the international
strategy in the strategic workforce plans for increasing and improving the rates of indigenous
employment. The QUT should be promoted as the employer of choice in the communities and
organizations within the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islanders.
The academic development programs of QUT should be promoted to the academic staffs.
There should be the promotion of the alumni information programs for a broader understanding
of works in the University sector. The annual staff forum in the QUT should be developed in
order to promote the sharing of knowledge, the innovation, professional practices, experiences
among the employees of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. There should be the
development of the short capability sessions aimed at the employees of the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander. There should be a resume writing and selection criteria delivered for the
employees of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. There should be all of the staff
participation in the 3-hour cultural competency workshops. Moreover, the career development
and the capacity building workshops for the employees should be delivered 3-4 times every year.

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Bibliography
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Theconversation.com. (2019). Eight ways we can improve Indigenous employment. Retrieved
from https://theconversation.com/eight-ways-we-can-improve-indigenous-employment-
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Www2.qut.edu.au (2019). [online] Www2.qut.edu.au. Available at:
http://www2.qut.edu.au/jobs/docs/IESBrochure.pdf [Accessed 26 May 2019].