Our Story
Burawa is a Dharug word meaning ‘up’ or ‘upwards’. In consultation with Dharug community members, Elders and language specialists, we have been given permission to use this word to communicate our dream of a culturally safe and culturally meaningful careers service that supports our Mob to achieve.
Explore
The Burawa National Indigenous Careers Centre is powered by Tranby National Indigenous Adult Education and Training.
Known in Community, both locally and nationally, as Tranby, we are Australia’s oldest and longest running Aboriginal-controlled education organisation. Our culturally meaningful campus has stood on Gadigal / Wangal land since 1957, providing vital education and training services to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community around Australia, for over 65 years.
The Burawa National Indigenous Careers Centre is designed to move our Mob up into leadership roles. We facilitate Indigenous adults to enter, change, and progress in careers by providing courses, networks, and ongoing support that empowers people.
Our difference is that we teach through cultural ways of learning, knowing, and being. At Burawa, our education model is informed by Tranby’s strong legacy of Aboriginal-controlled education, and 65 years of knowledge acquired through working with and for community.
OUR ARTWORK
AND LOGO
Artist Biography
Luke Penrith is a contemporary Aboriginal artist living in Brungle, NSW, with ancestry from the Wiradjuri, Wotjobaluk, the Yuin and the Gumbaynggirr nations. Luke’s bloodlines are connected through the rivers, the mountains, the coastline and the plains.
Lore, culture, and heritage are paramount to Luke and his art reflects what he sees, hears, and can smell and touch. His passion is mentoring and nurturing Indigenous Australian job seekers and supporting Aboriginal businesses.
Burawa’s breathtaking artwork was painted by Luke Penrith.
Our brand and logo were developed by 33 Creative. @33CreativeAus
In 2004/5, Luke graduated from Tranby’s Diploma of National Indigenous Legal Advocacy. His painting depicts Tranby’s sandstone yarning circles – places for conversation, building relationships, and celebrating culture. The yellow ochre colour represents the sandstone blocks where Mob come from all over Australia to study, and build knowledge and skills.
The inner circle shows marra (five) people sitting in class learning. The outer circle depicts marra (five) teachers, support staff and the Board overseeing the program and development.
The five pathways represent a journey of leadership, capacity building, working together for a common goal, support through mentoring, and role modelling for our communities back home. The four symbols on the edges represent the waves of knowledge and the brown symbols are the fast-running freshwater rivers.
‘I remember vividly we sat in a circle-shaped classroom, sitting just like our ancestors would of 1000s of years ago … When we are one, committed to develop our people, we rise up together’ – Luke Penrith
Latest Articles
Stay connected with what’s going on at Tranby and in our community.
Tranby National Indigenous Adult Education and Training
- Student Profile: Tony Medcraft
Congratulations to Tony Medcraft, recipient of the Kevin Cook Award! Since 1957 Tranby has been a place to gather, connect with community, learn about identity and culture and create the future […]
- Burawa has a mobile classroom!
The Burawa Team travels to Far North Queensland to deliver career advice and non-accredited education to Mob. In November 2022, Burawa National Indigenous Career Centre had the opportunity to […]
- Tranby History: Trade Unions Committee on Aboriginal Rights
The late Kevin Cook with Uncle Kevin Tory, long time supporters of TUCAR Unions have always been big supporters of Tranby. When the Cooperative was started in 1957, the Seamen’s Union, the Wharfies […]
We would like to acknowledge Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waterways, and skies across Australia.
We pay our respects to our Elders past and present, thanking them for paving the way for us. We extend that respect to our emerging leaders, standing side by side with all Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders across our great nation.
