A Townsville teen has made history as a national brand's first Indigenous Trainee
Sixteen-year-old Townsville teen, Destiny Lui has made history as a national brand's first Indigenous school-based trainee.
Sportsgirl at Townsville Shopping Centre was selected to pilot a First Nations School-Based Traineeship, setting the benchmark around the country.
The Pimlico State High School student is working towards a Certificate III in Business and has impressed so much that she has landed an ongoing casual job at the store.
"I was really happy when I found out I was selected because it was something I really wanted to do. I want to start a business after I finish school, so I really wanted it for the experience," Destiny said.
Since Haben took ownership and management of the shopping centre in December 2023, Townsville Shopping Centre has demonstrated a commitment to connecting with First Nations communities, with Haben also including key ambitions in their recent ESG Strategy to deliver in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“This initiative perfectly aligns with Townsville Shopping Centre’s commitment to celebrating and supporting First Nations communities, so we are thrilled that the Sportsgirl store in our centre was chosen to pilot this program and we congratulate Destiny,” Centre Manager Kelly Taylor-Smith said.
“We were absolutely blown away by the community support for our recent unveiling of a cultural mural, which provides a stunning backdrop for a plaque acknowledging Traditional Owners and celebrating the region’s First Nations cultures.
“Townsville has a higher Indigenous population than the Queensland average and is also unique with its high Torres Strait Islander population, so this is close to our hearts.”
Sportsgirl Store Manager Stephanie Robertson said the store is very proud to be supporting First Nations Traineeships.
“It’s a real testament to Destiny that she has taken on this traineeship with such enthusiasm and commitment, highlighting the potential of programs like these to create meaningful career opportunities for young Indigenous people,” Stephanie said.
Celebrating 16 years in the Townsville Shopping Centre, eight of these as Sportsgirl Store Manager, both Stephanie and Assistant Store Manager Katie were proud to offer the stability and dedication necessary to support a trainee’s success.
The trainee gains hands-on experience in all aspects of business management and graduates with the skills to step into a retail management role.
Townsville Shopping Centre recently unveiling a cultural mural and plaque at the entrance to their Food Court acknowledging traditional owners and celebrating the region’s First Nations cultures.