Cheryl Bailey (Indigenous Technology)
Indigenous Technology has teamed up with infrastructure services provider Kyndryl to widen pathways for Australian First Nations people to access STEM opportunities.
As part of the partnership, Kyndryl will work with Indigenous Technology to expand its Mirrinj program, with a focus upon creating learning and education opportunities for tertiary-level and adult First Nations students to explore and enter the ICT workforce.
Kyndryl and Indigenous Technology will co-design a series of in-person workshops, launching in September 2023, that will offer professional development, automation education and an insight into working in IT for First Nations students and community members.
Students will be invited to attend from several universities. Attendees who complete the workshops will also be invited to apply for paid work experience at Kyndryl with corporate and government client projects.
The program will not be limited to only those pursuing traditional STEM degrees, it was noted in the announcement.
Indigenous Technology was founded by Cheryl Bailey, who is paving the way for First Nations people to get into tech. Bailey is a proud Muriwari woman from the Weilmoringle community in northwest NSW.
“Currently we are working with primary students in the outback and are also in planning for later this year when we will be launching the Women’s Digital Literacy program. It is very exciting,” she said.
“By leveraging Indigenous Technology and Kyndryl’s combined capabilities and experience, we will present a formidable partnership in solving some of the pressing challenges in the sector, which will ultimately enable opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to realise their global potential. What we are developing together will be unique, inspirational and will be the first program of its type in Australia.”
Ashish Kumar, President of Kyndryl Australia and New Zealand, noted that the two organisations had partnered in the past to work on state and federal government projects.
“We look forward to inviting students and community members into our workplace to share knowledge and meet like-minded individuals, which we hope will lead to more First Nations students pursuing a STEM profession and ideally, building a technology career at Kyndryl,” he said.
