Latest news with #Intract
ABC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
New remote jobs program to fund hundreds of roles in remote communities
After months of searching, Jason Wandji, 47 has just landed a job thanks to a unique career expo held — of all places — in the remote Northern Territory's tropical north. The Yolngu man from Milingimbi had been searching for work since moving to West Arnhem Land's largest regional hub, Maningrida, a year ago in search of a better lifestyle. But when he started applying for jobs nearby, he was told he would instead need to participate in the "work-for-the-dole" Community Development Program (CDP) first, to build his skills. "I struggled a bit — I asked when I was applying around looking for a job, [and] they told me they were all not available until I went to the CDP," he said. But when Mr Wandji renewed his job search at a careers expo held by the Bawinanga Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (BHAC) last week, it took him just three days to land a job. "I was excited, I just walked around looking at what is a good job for me," he said. "I went there, had a look and was applying for three jobs. Another one from Intract called me back." Mr Wandji financially supports a number of family members. He said the job offer had made him proud, and he was now thinking about further training opportunities, such as undertaking training at the NT's Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Under the Closing the Gap agreement, the federal government has promised to raise the employment rate of First Nations people to 62 per cent by 2031. A 2021 Productivity Commission report showed the NT was the only jurisdiction that had gone backwards on progress towards that target. The latest census found 70 per cent of Maningrida's population was not even in the labour force, and of those who were, 46 per cent were unemployed. BHAC chief executive Kira Bourke said that was not for a lack of will. Ms Bourke said those barriers include cultural commitments and the competing priorities of managing families, healthcare and access to services in a remote area. But she said offering flexible work options could help. "It means helping someone to get to an appointment because someone lives across town or out of town, or encouraging someone to have the confidence to go from being able to fix things as a 'bush mechanic' to shadowing someone on the job," she said. The Maningrida jobs expo aimed to bring all local employers together under the tin roof of the community basketball court, to link up jobseekers with the full range of local organisations to discuss work options. "We live isolated enough — there's no reason to isolate ourselves more by not working together," Ms Bourke said. The expo was held ahead of the launch of 50 new jobs in Maningrida, which are being funded under the new Remote Jobs Economic Development Program from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). The NIAA said 650 jobs had been approved under the program so far for remote communities across Australia, with 300 more continuing from a previous trial. It said 140 of those jobs were in the Arnhem region, "including jobs in construction, retail, IT support, administration, homelands maintenance, transport and cultural roles". The remote jobs program is part of an overhaul of the CDP system, through which employers will be funded to create real jobs within their organisations rather than work-for-the-dole activities. Communities have long criticised the CDP and called for more meaningful work, training and better pay. BHAC has been funded for several positions through the program, which the organisation plans to use to offer job-sharing arrangements for local jobseekers. "It encourages women back into the workforce, it encourages older people, it encourages people that have cultural commitments, family commitments or other barriers to employment," Ms Bourke said. She said she envisioned the Remote Aboriginal Employment Service, which will replace the CDP from November, would allow jobseekers such as Mr Wandji to improve their skills to move into the NIAA-funded jobs. "There will be a large activities component to that program, and that looks like getting people ready to go into jobs," she said.
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Meet The Tech Innovators On The 2025 30 Under 30 Asia: Consumer & Enterprise List
Forbes Asia Turing Space CEO Hu Yao-chieh and chief technology officer Hang Meng-tse are taking aim at the rising problem of identity fraud with their flagship product, tamper-proof digital certificates. The company's motto: Turing proves you are you. Hu and Hang are among the tech entrepreneurs who made this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia: Consumer & Enterprise Technology list. Hang, a software engineer, was among Hu's eight hires for a blockchain consultancy he started in 2018 after undergrad studies in computer science and engineering in Hong Kong. Two years later, Hu finished a master's degree in engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and returned home to launch Turing Space, a subscription-based service that uses blockchain technology to provide customized electronic certificates for paper documents, such as diplomas, health reports and real estate contracts. Hu convinced Hang to come on board as a technical advisor and subsequently as cofounder in 2023. 'I make the final call on business and public relations decisions,' says Hu by text, 'while Meng-tse decides the technical and product decisions.' Forbes Asia According to Hu, Turing can reduce the time-consuming process of verifying credentials and its online certificates are easily shared (helpful for students applying to multiple graduate programs). The company says it counts the Taipei city government, the National Taiwan University and the World Health Organization among its clients. Next up is building a secure cross-border digital identity ecosystem with the Asia-Pacific Digital Identity Consortium, which it formed last year with printing giant DNP Group. In November, Turing raised over $3 million in a funding round led by Taipei-based ProFederal that will be used for product development and overseas expansion; the company shifted its headquarters to Delaware in 2022 from Taipei and opened an office in The Hague in March. Like Hu and Hang's Turing Space, other startups on this year's list are using blockchain technology to solve problems. Cofounded by Abhishek Aggarwal, Apurv Kaushal and Sambhav Jain in 2022, India-based Intract is a platform for learning about new technologies related to blockchain and Web3. Users are incentivized with crypto, NFTs and loyalty points after completing tasks such as product exploration and taking quizzes. Aware that some users cheated by using multiple accounts, Intract developed a digital identity platform to verify if a user is human, thereby preventing fake accounts and bots. In December 2023, Intract raised $3 million in a funding round led by Alpha Wave Global, BITKRAFT Ventures and Gumi Cryptos Capital. In Hong Kong, Jack Shing Ngai Man founded D-Engraver, which uses blockchain technology for data storage and transactions. The company's LawIntelliChain platform leverages blockchain and AI to speed up legal research and document drafting as well as perform compliance and administrative tasks. Founded in 2018, D-Engraver has received several accolades, including the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2021 and the Fintech Award 2022. EVs On The Rise Compared to conventional motorcycles, EV bikes offer not just better fuel efficiency, but added on smart fleet management and data collection. Entrepreneurs on this year's 30 Under 30 Asia list is harnessing these advantages. Saivya Chauhan founded Blitz Electric Mobility in 2019, offering last-mile and instant delivery services in 20 Indonesian cities using trackable electric bikes instead of conventional motorcycles. Blitz's clients include e-commerce, F&B and logistics brands such as Blibli, Domino's Pizza and DHL. Besides delivery services, Blitz partnered with coffee chain Janji Jiwa to allow its drivers to earn extra income by selling coffee on the streets using its fleet. Following last year's $1.6 million seed funding, Blitz raised a $4 million in pre-series A round in March led by Vynn Capital. Born in India, Chauhan has lived in Indonesia for 15 years. Abhijeet Saxena, Anubhav Sharma, Karan Singla and Shubham Srivastava, cofounders of Baaz Bikes. In India, IIT alumni Abhijeet Saxena, Anubhav Sharma, Karan Singla and Shubham Srivastava cofounded Baaz Bikes, which offers subscription-based electric scooters and battery swapping for last-mile delivery workers in the country. Founded in 2019, the company claims to have done over 1.5 million battery swaps and that its fleet has booked more than 41 million kilometers. Baaz raised $8 million in a series A round led by Singapore-based BIG Capital in November 2023, bringing total funding to over $10 million. Listees in this category are also making quality education more accessible and affordable. In the Hong Kong, Peggy Yuen cofounded MakeOmnia, which is developing innovative ways to advance STEM education using 3D printers. Established in 2015, MakeOmnia builds affordable and user-friendly products, enabling schools and students to access and print various shapes and objects to understand STEM concepts better and think differently. Backed by Hong Kong's Cyberport Incubation Programme, MakeOmnia has won several accolades, including from City University of Hong Kong's HK Tech 300 Angel Fund in 2021 and first prize for Best STEM Teaching Tools at the 23rd Hong Kong Youth Science & Technology Innovation Competition in 2021. Chong Ing Kai and Huh Dam, cofounders of Stick 'Em. In Singapore, Chong Ing Kai and Huh Dam want to make STEAM education accessible and affordable for everyone. They cofounded Singapore-based Stick 'Em, which makes innovative chopsticks kits containing enough geometric connectors, wooden chopsticks and plug-and-play electronics to build numerous experiments and robot designs. Its Stick 'Em Academy website provides over 40 self-guided lessons for teachers. The cofounders say they have trained 770 schoolteachers in 11 countries. Read our complete Consumer & Enterprise Technology list here – and be sure to check out our full Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 coverage here.
