Working in the NT for Flinders University’s Poche SA+NT, Kelly-Anne Browne has an exciting role that takes her out into the community – inspiring and supporting students to find and follow their dreams.

What do you do at Flinders University?

I work for Flinders University’s Poche SA+NT as the Community Engagement Officer based in Darwin, at the Charles Darwin University campus.

My role includes recruiting and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical students in the Northern Territory Medical Program. I also promote Flinders University Nursing and Allied Health courses to Northern Territory schools and adult entry students within the community.

My work includes visiting schools in the Northern Territory and attending local community events, organising interactive sessions and tours of Flinders NT facilities for NT school groups/classes.

I assist with the coordination of the Indigenous Entry Stream (IES) to Medicine, which runs a Pre-Medicine program annually. I work closely with IES participants assisting them with the application process, coordinating interviews and supporting them through a two-week intensive program run by the Flinders NT Medical Program.

Can you describe the career path that took you here?

I started work as a payroll officer working for Community Development Employment Project in 2000 at a local Aboriginal community in Darwin.

This led me to a position with the Batchelor Institute of Tertiary Education where I worked for the Remote Area Unit as an Administration Officer based in Darwin up until 2007. This organisation supported me to undertake an apprenticeship, where I gained a Certificate 3 in Business Administration.

I then moved to Katherine for four years where I worked for an employment services company. My employer supported staff to undertake a Certificate 4 in Employment Services, and I worked as an employment consultant travelling to remote communities delivering services to local people. My job was rewarding, finding suitable employment or programs to assist people into employment to help enrich their lives.

Moving back to Darwin, I was recommended to apply for the Community Engagement position by my previous manager, who had recently taken up employment with Flinders and thought it would be a great opportunity for me. I have now been with Flinders University for eight years. I am really interested in developing myself professionally and am looking at possibly enrolling in a project management course.

What do you most enjoy about your job?

I meet many inspiring people in my role. I work alongside a great team of people, we are all very passionate about what we do which makes work life enjoyable.

I enjoy interacting with the younger generation and talking to them about what they may want to do in the future. Many young people do not know where they want to be in the future and that is OK – my role is to inspire them and let them know there are some really great opportunities out there and they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it.

What is something you are proud of?

I am proud to be a Larrakia Wulna woman working on country for Flinders University, helping to build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and medical workforce for our people in the Northern Territory.

I am also a proud mother of my 15-year-old daughter, Jada, who means the absolute world to me.

How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?

I have a very close family who I spend a lot of my time with, I love looking after family and cooking delicious feeds for them. I love hunting and take any opportunity I can to get out bush with family or friends.