Teaming Up with National Rugby League to Empower Indigenous Youth
29 Feb 2024 | Gamuda Berhad

[L-R] Nicola Skinner (general manager of NRL’s community programmes); Sianne Bennett (head of human resources, Gamuda Australia); Jason Solomon (operations manager of NRL School to Work); and Matt Murphy (senior aboriginal programmes and participation manager, Gamuda Australia).
The Coffs Harbour Bypass is Gamuda’s second big infrastructure win in New South Wales, Australia.

Gamuda Australia is partnering the National Rugby League’s School to Work (S2W) Programme to empower Indigenous youth through education and employment.

“Community means a lot to Gamuda in terms of the legacy that we leave. The involvement with our Aboriginal community and the lands we’re building on is important to us, and we felt like this was an important journey for us to be on with the NRL.” – Sianne Bennett, Head of Human Resources, Gamuda Australia.

Crucially, this also signifies Gamuda’s commitment to fostering talent in the construction industry.

“Community means a lot to Gamuda in terms of the legacy that we leave. The involvement with our Aboriginal community and the lands we’re building on is important to us, and we felt like this was an important journey for us to be on with the NRL.” – Sianne Bennett, Head of Human Resources, Gamuda Australia.

The company will be providing support in three key areas:
1. Up to 15 scholarship opportunities for S2W participants.
2. Two university scholarships.
3. Two paid internships within the construction industry at Gamuda.

Additionally, the company has pledged support for key national events, including the S2W Awards Night, S2W Golf Day, and Youth Summit.

These scholarships will alleviate the initial financial barriers associated with educational and vocational pursuits. They will cover expenses such as tuition fees, tools, personal protective equipment (PPE), uniforms, and transportation.

“The opportunity that Gamuda will provide will benefit the students and their support networks, and we cannot thank Gamuda enough for that opportunity,” said Jason Solomon, operations manager of NRL School to Work.

“The opportunity that Gamuda will provide will benefit the students and their support networks, and we cannot thank Gamuda enough for that opportunity,” said Jason Solomon, operations manager of NRL School to Work.

Ray of promise through education & employment

Since its inception in 2012, NRL S2W has been a ray of promise, as an education and employment programme that supports young Indigenous Australians.

Through the positive influence of rugby league, S2W empowers the youth with work experience, mentoring and leadership opportunities to ensure they successfully complete school and transition into further study, as well as training and meaningful employment.