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Lee is University's first Indigenous cadet
Environmental management student Lee Clarke, 27, of Minyama, has become the University of the Sunshine Coast’s first Indigenous cadet.
Lee, who is in his second year of a combined Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree, said he was thrilled to have gained this opportunity through the National Indigenous Cadetship Project (NICP).
His cadetship with USC’s Faculty of Science will involve 12 weeks work alongside Senior Lecturer in Marine Science Dr Thomas Schlacher in assisting higher research students on field trips and laboratory testing.
Lee already has worked with Italian PhD student Serena Lucrezi, who is studying changes in ghost crab populations on the Sunshine Coast, and with Honours student Dave Wassman in researching the effects of groynes on sand worms and crustaceans.
“This cadetship opens up a lot of opportunities for me,” Lee said.
“I’m working with one of the world’s top marine scientists, Dr Thomas Schlacher. He’s a top bloke. He’s fun, thorough and knows what he’s on about.”
Lee has captained and engineered numerous vessels around the world, particularly in Indonesia and Thailand, for the past 10 years and is a dive instructor.
He said he hoped to use these skills in assisting Dr Schlacher research the marine colonisation of the ex-HMAS Brisbane off Mooloolaba.
USC’s Indigenous Cadetship and Employment Officer Su Gould said NCIP was part of the Australian Government’s Indigenous Economic Development Strategy.
Ms Gould said the cadetship program linked Indigenous tertiary students with employers to help improve the professional employment prospects of Indigenous Australians.
“Cadetships enable Indigenous students to gain the professional qualifications and experience needed for a range of jobs in the public, private and community sectors and move into employment on completion of their studies,” she said.
“The project aims at matching Indigenous undergraduate students with employers of relevance to their degree.
“To be eligible for a cadetship, you must be enrolled in full-time study to complete your first undergraduate degree, and identify yourself as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.”
For more details about NICP, go to the website <www.nicp.dewr.gov.au>, or contact Ms Gould on 5430 1226 or at sgoul1@usc.edu.au.