Khaila-Rose Prior

I’m a Project Officer in Human Resources at Legal Aid NSW, and I look after projects mainly to do with recruitment. For example, we have a career development program within Legal Aid for newly admitted solicitors, so I’m involved with advertising and recruiting for those roles. Before Legal Aid I was an indigenous mentor with a job service provider, helping long term unemployed indigenous people find work. Eventually I might want to take it up again, because I miss working with my community in that way.  

 

I was always someone that said that I never wanted to go to uni, it was not something I was ever interested in doing. What really appealed to me about this course was the fact that I could study and work at the same time. I know that in order for me to progress within my career within the public service I need a qualification, so I thought this degree would give me a really good underpinning to help me advance. 

 

I’m enjoying it. It’s hard at times because it is so intensive. At the end of the week I’m totally wiped out. I think a really good thing about this course is the fact that we’re a smaller group. We have gotten to know each other really quickly. We all come from different backgrounds and so we’re learning a lot from each other. When you get a group of aboriginal people together, you have that kinship and support. 

 

The projects that we’re working on are based on actual organisations out in the community. Last semester we worked with the Tribal Warrior Association here in Sydney and this semester we’re working with the Jack Thompson Foundation, an organisation based in Bundeena. We’re really lucky that we do have quite a lot of contact with the organisations that we’re working with, and we’re doing something that is relevant, it’s not just based on a case study or a theory. 

 

A big highlight for me, and something that I didn’t really expect was the fact that we as a group get along so well, and we’re all very supportive of one other. I know that if one of us is struggling with something or need help with anything, even if it’s on a personal level, we do have each other to support. 

 

At this point in time I want to progress mainly with my career in the public sector. Further on down the track I’d like to work out in the community. 

 

For someone who is not interested in going to uni or taking on that big three or six year commitment, this is definitely something that would be really beneficial because of the way it’s delivered. I’m a single mother, so not only am I parent, I work full time, and I’m also managing to undertake a full time study load. So in that sense it’s really supportive.