Against the iconic backdrop of the sandstone monolith known as Uluru, First Nations trainees have been honing their hospitality skills.
For Nadal Levers-Mallie, the year-long experience pushed the bounds of his comfort zone.
"When I came out here for the traineeship, I was shy and nervous," the Tjapukai, Kuku Yalanji and Wakka Wakka man said.
"The traineeship gave me the chance to come out of my shell and make friends who are now family. It pushed me from my comfort zone and allowed me to grow both professional and personally."
Nadal is one of 23 in his cohort who graduated last week with a Certificate III in Hospitality.
Meriam woman Mercya Day says it was a moment filled with pride.
"I am so very proud of the achievement and accomplishment from here to now," she said.
"I know there has been rough times ... I would like to thank the outback staff for supporting me through everything [and] giving me a chance to grow."
The program is run by the National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA).
Trainees live on site at Uluru during the program and are supported by dedicated wellbeing and residential teams.
NITA alumna Faith Saylor from Meanjin, Brisbane, was part of the 2019 cohort and gave a keynote to new graduates at the ceremony.
"My journey here at Uluru has shaped the woman I am today," Ms Saylor said.
Since graduating, Ms Saylor has progressed into leadership roles with Central Australian Aboriginal Congress and now works as an Executive Assistant with Penangke Cultural Consultancy, while studying law part-time.
"19-year-old Faith would never have believed she would one day want to become a lawyer," she said.
“This certificate is not the finish line – it is your launch pad."
Since NITA's inception in 2011, 797 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainees have achieved nationally recognised qualifications through education and paid work experience.
