Gomeroi Country extends broadly from the Qld / NSW boarder region to Tamworth, Aberdeen/ Muswellbrook, Coonabarabran and Walgett. The Gomeroi people are the traditional owners of this Country. The communities that this region encompasses have significant levels of indigenous populations. The economic conditions of these communities are also changing rapidly and are moving from a largely agricultural base to a more diverse economy which includes the mining and resource extraction industries.

The aim of the project is to undertake a skills audit of Gomeroi people in Narrabri to ascertain their current skill levels. The ultimate goal (but outside the scope of this project) is to use the information collected in this project to develop the necessary support and training for local Gomeroi people to take advantage of the range of jobs provided by mining and agriculture in the region. This study will undertake a skills audit of the Gomeroi people in the Narrabri region, both on country and off. A skills audit is a method of identifying and accounting the existing and deficient skills in a community to illuminate under- utilised human capital which can be re-invested into creating a viable local economy. The skills audit will also point to areas in which training and education are needed so that suitable courses can be developed.

The results of this project have the potential to generate major outcomes and multiple uses for the Narrabri Gomeroi People. They are ultimately the “owners” of these results and therefore future direction must be ‘owner driven'. The only limit will be “what they choose to do with the information and recommendations”. A key component to any decision will be a driver to assist with facilitating steps to ward planning for and instigating their chosen direction.

There are aspects of this project that worked and with further tweaking make this ultimately a very valuable methodology. The employment of an Indigenous Field Assessment Officer(FAO) is important – but reliability and honesty are paramount in the candidate. Additionally, the role of the Liaison to assist organisation, training and reporting.

Of major importance is the software solutions and ownership of the hardware which are housed at CRDC, Narrabri. The methodology outcomes are tangible and repeatable. Further community profiling now has the benefit of this first campaign thus allowing for engagement of this style of audit of other valleys.