National Indigenous Cadetship Project (NICP)
NICP is a Commonwealth government initiative administered by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) which links Australian Indigenous students with employers in a cadetship arrangement. Students gain professional experience in paid employment relevant to their degree while they study full-time and receive a study allowance that is not means tested. It is expected that students will be offered a permanent position by their employer on successful completion of their cadetship.
Whilst studying, NICP cadets:
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Receive a taxable study allowance paid in wage-like payments between March and November (up to 40 weeks);
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Are paid a salary while undertaking work experience during the university vacation (12 weeks between academic years). This salary does not affect the amount of allowance a student receives as the allowance is not means tested; and
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Receive a separate allowance for books and equipment.
The Project is very successful at JCU with more than 30 Indigenous cadets currently studying and a growing number of NICP graduates from JCU who have progressed to satisfying careers in the public and private sectors.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible for a cadetship a person must be:
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an Australian student who is of Aboriginal and/Torres Strait Islander descent, who identifies as being Aboriginal and/Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in which she/he lives or has lived;
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enrolled for full-time study in their first undergraduate degree in an Australian university;
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an Australian resident.
Like further information?
You can visit the Commonwealth Government’s website to learn more about the National Indigenous Cadetship Project.
Or talk to:
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Louise Wason (07) 4781 5518 – School of Indigenous Australian Studies, Townsville campus
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Lisa Lui (07) 4042 1046 – School of Indigenous Australian Studies, Cairns campus.
