The day was filled with activities, workshops and inspiring talks, aimed at empowering and providing children in primary, intermediate and secondary school with valuable insights into their future careers.
“The partnership between Datacom and the Go Foundation is built on a shared commitment to supporting Indigenous youth and providing them with opportunities to succeed through education,” says Datacom Practice Lead Australia and Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group Co-chair Sam Knight.
One of the highlights of the Cultural Connect Day was the ‘Job Ready’ careers session specifically designed for the older cohort of students.
This session was run by the Datacom Academy based in Modbury, South Australia, giving the students a unique opportunity to learn about various career paths in service desk and customer experience operations ─ while gaining insights from industry professionals.
Datacom employees shared their personal career journeys, offering advice and encouragement to the students. They discussed the importance of perseverance, continuous learning, and staying true to one's values.
Teachers from the attending schools said they “loved seeing the students engage on the day with the speakers and activities.” They enjoyed hearing from Datacom about the opportunities available and where young people can gain employment and study.
Student feedback was that as they prefer hands-on experiences, they loved using iPads and technology while they learned about the different types of jobs within the IT industry.
Tyran Hill, Scholarships Program Manager for the Go Foundation said, “The Culture Connect Days are some of our favourite days of the year, especially seeing the older students sharing their cultural knowledge with our primary scholars. We love continuing to build the strength of our relationships and the support we can offer our students, and being able to do so in collaboration with our amazing partners at Datacom is special.”
The Cultural Connect Day wasn’t just about career development; it was about a celebration of culture and identity. The students participated in cultural workshops where they learned about their heritage, shared stories and connected with their peers. These activities help foster a sense of pride and belonging, reinforcing the importance of cultural identity in their personal and professional lives.
Datacom has a five-year Partnership Agreement with the GO Foundation. Starting in 2023, the partnership supports various initiatives including financial donations, workplace giving, senior management guidance, networking, and careers events.
The foundation was co-founded by Sydney Swans legends, Michael O’Loughlin, Adam Goodes and James Gallichan to help indigenous students unlock the power of their identity and culture while at school and university.
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