Large Employer of the Year

Sponsored by Southern Cross Television

Winner: The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Council

The Arnhem Land Progress Association (ALPA) was formed in 1972 as part of an economic development plan for the Yolngu Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land. Today it employs more than 1,000 people, and 825 are Aboriginal. ALPA's operational footprint is 1.2 million square kilometres, and it engages a population of 18,000 with 21 language groups. The ALPA retail division has 26 remote retail stores under its management and operates an RTO in both the NT and Queensland.

In an innovative approach to social enterprise development in ALPA’s member communities, local Aboriginal family corporations own equity in a number of ALPA’s businesses. VET is a key element of this workforce development model.

Retail training activity for the last 12 months is 134 apprentices at Certificate II, III or IV level in the retail training package. In all, ALPA as an RTO has completed around 1,750 retail apprenticeships since the RTO was registered in 1982.