‘Guiding in the Territory Leading the Way' is a training program set up to train 15 Indigenous Tour Guides in the Northern Territory. The project was initiated in response to a skills shortage of tour guides, coupled with industry feedback with the demand for Indigenous tour guides. Participants were selected from communities around the Katherine region to undergo the training which consisted of an induction, pre-employment training (including cross cultural training), competencies fully accredited towards Certificate III in Tourism (guiding) and a work placement.

The delivery of this intensive training package was a collaborative effort with many organizations working together to make this project possible.

Cross Cultural Consultants delivered the pre-employment training called "Walking in two worlds" which uses film, structured games, group work and personal reflections to ensure participants gain a clear understanding of what work means and how it will benefit them also learning about unspoken rules within the Australian working culture.

Delivery of the tour guiding component was delivered in collaboration between Charles Darwin University and Eco Training Australia, who together accommodated alternative delivery, providing training in various locations from the Rural College Katherine to Swim Creek Station.

For the ‘on the job' component many tourism and guiding companies provided invaluable support for this project by proving ‘work placements' and we would like to thank; Airbourne Solutions, Kakadu 4WD safari's, Katherine Information Centre, Travel North, Cutta Cutta Caves, NT Immersions, Gagadju Dreaming, APT, AAT Kings and Kakadu Culture Camp. We are seeking further support for this component of the project so if you are able to provide work placements for indigenous tour guides please contact Wendy at CHARTTES on 89411956.

To date this project is one of a kind providing pre-employment training as well as tour guiding training and on the job work experience. Participants have been set up to succeed with this winning combination. While the tourism industry continues to grow in Katherine we hope to run this program again providing the Territory with highly trained professional Indigenous Tour Guides.