AgriFood Skills Australia successfully established a project under the Workplace English Language and Literacy program for ten indigenous trainees to undertake certificate courses in horsemanship. The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations approved the six month pilot program in 2010 for the ten indigenous participants to receive literacy and numeracy training from stations in the Northern Territory.

The participants underwent initial assessments in April 2010 upon the commencement of the program. The week included information and communication technology training, as well as induction training for the certificate course. After the initial training week, participants returned to their respective cattle stations where they continued their learning with customised workbooks and via ‘learning champions’ who were assigned at each station.

The language trainer travelled to each of the cattle stations in July 2010 for one-on-one training which included literacy, numeracy and basic computer training. Training continued at the stations until late October, when the participants travelled to Alice Springs for a final week of training together for the completion of the project.

The project was managed by Futurum Australia and was a result of efforts by AgriFood's Learning Development Officer, Melissa MacDonald, working under a Well Broker program supported by DEEWR.