Ashanti joined the Menzies Biyamarr ma Traineeship Program in February 2020 soon after completing Year 12 in Darwin. She said she was given a tour of Menzies organised by the Biyamarr ma trainees while still at school, which helped her decide on a career in health.
Ashanti Berry commenced her traineeship enrolling in a Certificate III in Community Services with the D-Kids team, where she worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies, as well as the nurses and midwives in the birthing wards at Royal Darwin Hospital.
“From a young age, I was always interested in physiotherapy, and when I got to know about Menzies and the traineeships they offered, it all sort of connected. When I finished school, I looked at what was available at the time, which were the Community Services traineeships, so I applied for one straight away and ended up getting it,” Ashanti said.
Due to COVID, Ashanti’s time on the hospital wards was cut short, and she transferred her enrolment to a Certificate III in Business with the Biyamarr ma team, where she now works as an Administrative Assistant.
“Working in admin means you’re always busy. It involves booking meetings, organising school visits and workshops - that type of thing; and I love working with everyone in the Biyamarr ma team, they’re really good fun,” Ashanti said.
Having had the opportunity to see the wide range of work undertaken at Menzies, Ashanti is now considering a future career in nursing.
“My family are really happy for me, and they want me to pursue whatever it is that I want to do in life.”
“I would also encourage other young people who may be thinking of working in health to consider joining Menzies. It’s a good place to start because there are so many different teams and there are so many opportunities. You may start out being interested in one area of health and end up changing your mind and working in another. Whatever you do, you definitely don’t give up – you keep working towards what you really want to do,“ Ashanti said.