The Role of the AEC

The AEC’s role has now moved from developing the business (signing new partners up to the covenant) to the rollout or implementation stage. New employers can however still approach the AEC to partner in the program.

The AEC is not a service provider per se, but it will act in a consultancy-type role to guide the employer through the process of recruiting and retaining Indigenous employees. In its role in the implementation stage, the AEC will act as a clearing house of information and a broker of supportive relationships to support employers in the rollout of their job opportunities.

The AEC does not have a role directly placing individuals into work or training. That is the domain of the federally-funded job services and training industries. However, the AEC will act as a ‘connection point’ between Indigenous job seekers and the employment opportunities through its online jobs board and its networks with employment service providers.

In the rollout stage, the AEC will:

• Work with each employer to develop a Covenant Action Plan (CAP) and support employers to implement the CAP. This information will include examples of best practice and the services available to support implementation.
• Introduce and/or support the mentoring process within each employer organisation.
• Share its local and industry knowledge with employers, brokering relationships with organisations that can support the employer’s objectives. These relationships may include companies specialising in Indigenous recruitment or labour hire, Indigenous community organisations that focus on employment or those that specialise in Indigenous employment strategies, pre-employment training and post-placement support.
• Share with employers the knowledge, experience and networks of others through Better Practice Workshops around the country.
• Share good news stories of successes in Indigenous recruitment and retention by AEC employers through the AEC website, literature and in workshop forums.