Raising Horizons has undertaken a successful 2025 program, creating school-based and unconventional pathways into the aviation industry for Indigenous youth.
With partners such as Rex Airlines and NRL Cowboys House, the program was able to inspire the next generation of leaders, connecting rural communities to big opportunities.
Helping Indigenous youth to dream big
Earlier this year, on 29 January, the Raising Horizons program officially launched its 2025 season. The program, led by Gunggandji Aerospace in collaboration with Rex Airlines and the Cowboys Foundation, aims to empower Indigenous youth to pursue careers in the aviation industry.
The students came from NRL Cowboys House, a culturally-safe boarding facility for young Indigenous people attending school in Townsville. The team provides fully-supported placement, health and wellbeing services, community activities, and cultural education with the aim of improving historically poor academic success rates for Indigenous youth.
As part of this initiative, 20 students were invited to participate in the Raising Horizons opening session, which featured a line-up of inspirational speakers who talked about their own journeys in the aviation industry. Interactive videos and in-person talks inspired students to dream big and get excited about aviation careers.
Key speakers included Sharna Tonkin, a Kalkadoon woman and Aerodrome Reporting Officer, as well as Steve Jones from Rex Airlines and Daniel Joinbee, the CEO and founder of Gunggandji Aerospace.
The students were even challenged to create the fastest paper plane, and their designs reached new heights.
A map to the future
In April 2025, the second Raising Horizons session was hosted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) at its Townsville base. The excursion involved a tour of an operational hangar, exploration of a fully-equipped RFDS aircraft, and hands-on learning about emergency aviation and remote healthcare services.
Students even had the opportunity to talk with a pilot, flight nurse, engineer and management team member to learn all about the day-to-day realities of aviation work. The experience showed the students just how many roles are available in the industry, and how aviation can help to connect and care for remote communities.
A highlight for many students was the interactive map showcasing RFDS service locations, where they could find their home communities. This meant they could connect career opportunities with Country, sparking excitement for possible pathways in the future.
Let’s hear it for the girls
The third Raising Horizons session was all about building confidence for girls. It brought together 15 young women from the NRL Cowboys house for a specially-designed workshop that taught young girls to build self-confidence, resilience and leadership skills.
The students also met NRLW player Tahlulah Tillett, who won the 2023 Veronica White Medal. Tahlulah shared the triumphs and challenges of her sporting career, as well as discussing her vulnerabilities. Her presence and authenticity created a safe space for the girls to open up, recognise their strengths, acknowledge their doubts, and ultimately build their confidence in achieving their dreams.
Training for take off
The next Raising Horizons lesson saw students taking part in a behind-the-scenes visit to Townsville Helicopters, the first civilian helicopter training school in the region.
Here, students took part in immersive pilot training by touring aircraft, learning flight protocols and speaking to staff about their experiences in the air. The session was a key milestone in the program, as students got a tangible sense of what it takes to start an aviation career.
Culture meets innovation
For the next session, students joined experts from Aviation Australia to explore the real world applications of drone technology. They learnt about how drones are used in defence, emergency response, and other growing industries.
Aviation staff even helped the students to fly drones for themselves, talking about the training and qualifications needed to start an aviation career.
The afternoon started with a yarning circle led by Barkindji woman Lisa Henderson, who discussed the legacy of David Unaipon, the Aboriginal leader featured on the $50 note. They learnt about his contribution to the modern helicopter design, before talking about other Aboriginal contributions to science and knowledge.
The excursion taught the students about the importance of Indigenous people in shaping the aviation industry, inspiring them to think about their own roles in this exciting sector. They left feeling empowered and capable, ready to take on new challenges.
Building a business brain
In response to the students’ interest in business, the next lesson was run by Daniel Joinbee, CEO of Gunggandji Aerospace. Using the Business Model Canvas, the students were introduced to real-world business practice, working in teams to develop new business models for Raising Horizons.
Each team was tasked with developing an aviation educational program that was sustainable, scalable and relevant to students, and the facilitators were blown away by their ideas.
Standout pitches included expanding into related sectors such as space and maritime (where workforce skills overlap), as well as developing online content to increase accessibility. The session provided students with business planning skills, which can be carried over into future career opportunities.
A spotlight on defence
The final Raising Horizons session invited students onto the Royal Australian Air Force Base Townsville. Here, it was all about opportunities in Defence aviation, helping students to see possible career pathways in both military and civilian roles.
The highlight of the day was a visit to the Air Traffic Control Tower, where students watched live flight coordination and learnt all about the responsibilities of air traffic controllers.
They also took part in a Q&A with Lieutenant Colonel Wyatt Frazer, who talked about his Army aviation career and discussed the variety of exciting opportunities available in the Defence force, including logistics, maintenance and command.
Overall, Raising Horizons continues to support Indigenous youth, fostering collaboration between industry partners and local communities. The hope is that students will leave with employment skills and a passion for aviation that may result in long and successful careers.
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