First Nations focus at Horsham Coles
Asupermarket giant’s plan to provide more employment opportunities for First Nations people is expanding in the Wimmera.
Coles Horsham plans to seek more First Nations people to work at the supermarket after it hired 11 new indigenous team members in March.
Click and collect worker Deanne King was among those employed as part of the recruitment drive.
Ms King said the employment program was promoting greater social inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“This is great for First Nations communities to be able to walk into a Coles and see their own are working there,” she said.
“This program has been really supported around the community, and the feedback has been fantastic as well.”
Ms King said the commitment would help Coles better reflect the communities in which it operated.
“We haven’t seen this kind of thing in Coles here before, so seeing this progress is fantastic,” she said.
“It will be great to see future kids and adults getting in there for work and watch the program grow.
“I’m hoping this program sends a shining example of what is possible in this space.”
Coles Horsham store manager Matthew Kulhan said the supermarket was keen to employ more First Nations people when vacancies became available.
He said the employment focus expanded on the supermarket’s commitment to build strong relationships with the indigenous community of Horsham. The company also unveiled six pieces of indigenous artwork earlier this year.
“We refurbished our store in May and through that project we were able to engage with the local indigenous community around putting some artwork on the side of the building,” he said.
The employment drive expands on the organisation’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan 2023, which started 11 years ago.
Indigenous affairs advisor Martin Taylor said community engagement was a key focus of the plan.
“One of the major pillars of the Coles’ plan is employment,” he said.
“We identify opportunities in our regional and remote communities to make sure we’re representing the community.
“Currently the Horsham indigenous population represents 1.5 percent of the population and Coles Horsham’s workforce is made up of 14 percent of indigenous workers.”