Wendy O'brien

Department of Education

My career with the Department of Education started in the early 1990s as a community liaison officer at Bradshaw and Gillen Primary schools, when Traeger Park School closed. I helped families and children settle into new schools. I then took on the role of AITAP (Aboriginal Islander Tertiary Aspirations Program) coordinator liaising with managers and project coordinators in Darwin, Alice Springs, and Tennant Creek.

Throughout my career I have worked across roles in the corporate office and schools in the Northern Territory. From 1997 to 2017 I worked at Centralian Senior College as an AIEW (Aboriginal islander education worker) and supported the Irrkerlantye Learning Centre which consisted of many Arrernte families. In this time I developed networks with principals, teachers, mentors, students and ASSPA (Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Program) committees. I also liaised with AIEWs and AROs (Aboriginal Resource Officer) in their prospective schools.

In 2017 I moved into the student and family support officer position in the Transition Support Unit in Alice Springs. The role is to support families in remote areas of Central and Barkly regions to prepare students to go away for boarding to do their secondary learning.

Career highlights throughout my 30 years has been seeing young Indigenous students finish year 12, some being the first in their families to achieve this milestone. I feel proud watching the number of Indigenous students grow each year receiving their certificates also when past students acknowledge me and share their journey since leaving senior school.