Former Deadly Sista Girlz participant, Kyla, wasn’t sure what her future career path might look like, until she was inspired by her love of travel and supported into a role with Qantas.
A proud Kuku Yalanji woman from Queensland, Kyla was a student in our Deadly Sista Girlz program at Halls Head College. She is currently working as a Customer Service Agent with Qantas and has enjoyed the role over the past five months. Encouraged by a family member who worked as a cabin crew supervisor, Kyla applied for the role. After successfully interviewing, she completed two weeks of classroom based training before transitioning to hands on learning on the floor, supported by a buddy system, “It was a very cool experience,” said Kyla.
Now settled into the role, Kyla said each day looks different, but her favourite part is watching people set off on their trip.
“I love seeing the international departures and everyone’s faces excited to go on holiday.”
While she wasn’t initially sure what career path to pursue after school, she was encouraged by Tahleshja, her DSG Student Support Officer, to explore her options and find a pathway that aligned with both her interests and goals. “All I knew was that I wanted to travel and then, I thought, I’ll do both.” said Kyla.
Tahleshja also played an important role in supporting Kyla through her Qantas application, helping her take the next step from school into employment.
Kyla says the Deadly Sista Girlz program offered ongoing support during her school years.
“I could go there for support with my schoolwork or career, plus there were some really good opportunities and excursions.”
Our DSG mentors offer a stable environment and aim to engage, educate, and empower girls to make positive choices for their health and futures. One of the events we run each year is a DSG Deadly Futures Careers Expo. This event is an opportunity for our participants to connect with employers across various industries and tertiary providers to explore potential career pathways for the future.
Speaking on her experience at our last Deadly Futures Expo, Kyla said, “Getting to see other careers and experiences was really cool.”
Through these opportunities and the support from our Strong First Nations mentors, Kyla says DSG helped her stay motivated and focused at school.
“It made me more motivated to actually be in school and study hard.”
Looking ahead, Kyla has aspirations within Qantas, “I’d like to go into a cabin crew role, domestic or international would be the dream.”
Kyla’s journey is a powerful example of how access to support, exposure to opportunities and strong mentoring can help young people build confidence in their future.
Her advice to other First Nations girls,“Take every opportunity, because it gives you more experiences and a wider outlook.”
Deadly Sista Girlz is a holistic education, empowerment and healthy lifestyle program for Indigenous girls operating in 18 schools across Australia. DSG is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, with support from corporate partners. Find out more
