How does the Talent Map coverage percentage work?

The coverage percentage shows what proportion of the total Indigenous workforce (as recorded in the ABS Census) for a given occupation is represented in Shine's network. For example, if the Census records 400 Indigenous accountants nationally and Shine's network includes 148, the coverage is 37%. This helps organisations understand how much of the available talent pool they can access through Shine.

Why is it so hard to find Indigenous professionals?

Several factors make Indigenous talent harder to find through conventional recruitment channels. Only about 1 in 6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians work in white-collar professional roles. Under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, employers cannot search for candidates based on race or ethnicity. And 63% of Indigenous employees experience "identity strain" — pressure around whether to disclose their Indigeneity at work — meaning many Indigenous professionals are not visible in standard databases.

Where does the Talent Map data come from?

The Talent Map is built on Shine People Solutions' proprietary database of over 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals, curated over 15+ years of dedicated Indigenous recruitment. This data is enriched with OSCA occupation codes, ASCED education classifications, and ANZSIC industry codes, then cross-referenced with ABS 2021 Census data for benchmarking.

Is individual candidate data shared?

No. The Talent Map uses de-identified, aggregated data only. No individual candidate names, contact details, or personally identifiable information is displayed. The tool shows talent pool sizes, coverage percentages, and workforce trends — not individual profiles. This privacy-first design ensures appropriate data handling while still providing powerful workforce intelligence.

What is the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP)?

The IPP is a Commonwealth Government policy (introduced 1 July 2015, administered by NIAA) that requires contracts over $7.5 million in 19 specified industry categories to achieve 4% Indigenous workforce (FTE) or 4% subcontracting to Indigenous businesses. In 2024-25, over 1,200 Indigenous businesses secured 13,144 contracts valued at $1.6 billion under the IPP.

How does the Talent Map help with IPP compliance?

Before submitting a tender, you can search the Talent Map to assess whether sufficient Indigenous talent exists for the roles you need to fill. The AI Job Title Classifier converts your plain-English job titles to correct occupation codes. You can then generate a professional IPP Tender Feasibility Report with geographic distribution, experience breakdown, and Census benchmarks — ready to attach to your tender response as evidence of workforce feasibility.

What is a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)?

A RAP is a formal document developed in partnership with Reconciliation Australia that commits an organisation to practical actions advancing reconciliation. Over 1,300 organisations have RAPs. There are four tiers: Reflect (scoping), Innovate (strategy), Stretch (measurable targets), and Elevate (leadership). Stretch and Elevate RAPs typically include quantified Indigenous employment targets.

How does the Talent Map support RAP workforce planning?

The Talent Map provides the evidence base for setting realistic, ambitious RAP employment targets. Search by occupation and department to see Indigenous talent availability, benchmark against Census data, and generate RAP Workforce Reports with under-identification insights. Combined multi-search reports let you cover your entire organisation's workforce plan in a single document for board papers and Reconciliation Australia reporting.

Does the Talent Map work for state government procurement policies?

Yes. While built around the Federal IPP, the same workforce data and reports apply directly to state-level policies including NSW AIPP, QLD Buy Queensland, WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy, VIC Social Procurement Framework, and SA and NT policies. The core question is the same regardless of jurisdiction: 'Is there Indigenous talent available for this contract?'

OSCA (Occupation Standard Classification of Australia, formerly ANZSCO) is the Australian Bureau of Statistics' official system for classifying occupations. It uses a 5-level hierarchy covering 506+ occupations. The Talent Map classifies all professionals using OSCA codes, enabling precise occupation-level workforce analysis. If you don't know the codes, the AI Job Title Classifier handles the mapping automatically.

What does 17.4% Census undercount mean?

The ABS Post-Enumeration Survey found that 17.4% of Indigenous Australians were not counted in the Census. This undercount is highest in professional and corporate settings. When Talent Map reports show coverage percentages, these represent a floor, not a ceiling — the true Indigenous talent pool is larger than any database shows. Reports automatically include under-identification insights when coverage is below 30%.

How much does the Talent Map cost?

The Talent Map offers two access tiers. Workforce Planning provides core search, filtering, all 4 report types, census benchmarking, saved searches, and data explorers at $6,200 per month (month-to-month, no lock-in) with anonymised blurred candidate cards. Full Platform Access provides everything in Workforce Planning plus full anonymised candidate profiles, saved people and project workspaces, top occupations, graduate pipeline, industry benchmarks, combined reports, Request Shine Review for end to end recruitment, and Request Talent Connection for client-led introductions (talent connection fee applies) — contact Shine People Solutions for Full Platform Access pricing. Indigenous businesses and Not-for-Profit organisations are eligible for discounted pricing arrangements.

Can I access the Talent Map as part of a bundled service?

Yes. Talent Map access is included in Shine People Solutions' Indigenous Strategic Workforce Solution packages, which bundle recruitment, consulting, training, and Talent Map access. Visit the Workforce Solution page to learn about the five bundled tiers.

Will our team need training to use the Talent Map?

The Talent Map includes a built-in Learn & Support Centre with step-by-step written guides for every feature, a comprehensive FAQ section, and an AI-powered help bot that answers natural-language questions in real time. Most users are productive within minutes without needing separate training sessions.

How is the data kept current?

The database is continuously enriched from Shine People Solutions' active recruitment operations — Australia's largest Indigenous-focused recruitment firm, operating since 2009. New professionals are added regularly, and classification data is updated through automated enrichment pipelines with 89.8% OSCA coverage.

What if the numbers seem low for my occupation?

Research shows Indigenous Australians are under-identified in workforce data by at least 17.4%. The Talent Map reports automatically include under-identification insights when coverage is low, citing research from the ABS Post-Enumeration Survey, Gari Yala (Diversity Council Australia), and DCA/Jumbunna studies. What you see is a floor, not a ceiling — and your Shine consultant has access to the full, rich underlying data for deeper insight.

Can my Shine consultant access more detailed data?

Yes. The Talent Map presents de-identified, aggregated workforce intelligence. Your Shine People Solutions consultant has access to the full, rich underlying data that the Talent Map is generated from. If you need deeper insight into a specific talent pool or are struggling to find the right occupation codes, reach out to your consultant directly.

What is Occupation Gaps Analysis?

Occupation Gaps Analysis identifies occupations where the ABS Census records Indigenous employment but Shine's network has few or zero candidates — revealing untapped talent pipelines. It helps organisations identify where to invest in training, cadetships, and targeted recruitment programs. Toggle between white-collar professional roles and blue-collar trades to focus your analysis.

How does Census benchmarking account for under-identification?

The Census benchmarking panel includes an adjustable slider (0-20%) that accounts for estimated population growth and under-identification since the 2021 Census. Reports automatically display under-identification insights when coverage falls below 30%, contextualising the numbers with research on the 17.4% Census undercount and identity strain in professional settings.

Is there a competitor to the Indigenous Talent Map?

No. The Indigenous Talent Map is Australia's only dedicated workforce planning platform for Indigenous talent. Supply Nation lists Indigenous businesses (not individual talent), ABS Census provides raw data (not interactive or enriched), job boards show who applies (not who exists), and LinkedIn Talent Insights has no Indigenous-specific lens or Census benchmarking. No other tool combines proprietary recruitment intelligence with Census data in a self-service platform.

Who built the Indigenous Talent Map?

The Indigenous Talent Map was built by Shine People Solutions, a proudly Aboriginal-owned recruitment and consulting firm operating since 2009. The underlying database represents over 15 years of dedicated Indigenous recruitment, with the network initially hand-built by co-director Greg Sax over a full year of dedicated effort and expanded by the broader Shine team.

Do you offer discounted pricing for Indigenous businesses or NFPs?

Yes. Indigenous businesses and Not-for-Profit organisations are eligible for discounted pricing arrangements for Talent Map access. Contact Shine People Solutions directly to discuss.

What is Talent Connect?

Talent Connect is the client-led recruitment pathway within the Talent Map. When you identify a candidate you would like to connect with, you can request a Talent Connection. Shine People Solutions will then make a culturally appropriate first approach to the candidate, gauge their interest, obtain formal consent, and facilitate the introduction. A talent connection fee applies per introduction — contact Shine People Solutions for details. This pathway is available to Full Platform Access subscribers.

What is End to End Recruitment?

Shine People Solutions End to End Recruitment is the Shine-led recruitment pathway. When you use Request Shine Review on a candidate, you are asking Shine People Solutions to review that candidate as part of a managed recruitment process — whether for a current role, future hiring, or succession planning. Shine manages the full recruitment process on your behalf, including candidate engagement, fit assessment, and recruitment strategy.

How does the consent process work for Talent Connect?

The Talent Connect consent process ensures culturally safe engagement at every step. When you request a Talent Connection, a Shine People Solutions consultant contacts the candidate directly and explains the opportunity. If the candidate agrees, they receive a formal consent email with a unique link to confirm. Only after the candidate clicks to confirm consent are their contact details shared with your organisation. This 7-step process (pending, contacted, candidate agreed, consent confirmed, connected, declined, cancelled) can be tracked in real time through the My Talent Connections page.

What is the difference between Talent Connect and End to End Recruitment?

Talent Connect is for organisations doing their own recruitment who want Shine People Solutions to make a culturally appropriate first approach and facilitate a consented introduction. A talent connection fee applies per introduction. End to End Recruitment is for organisations wanting Shine People Solutions to manage the full recruitment process — candidate engagement, fit assessment, process design, and execution. Both pathways are available through the Talent Map platform at Full Platform Access tier.

Can I track my talent connection requests?

Yes. Full Platform Access subscribers can track every talent connection request through the My Talent Connections page. Each request moves through a transparent status pipeline: Pending, Contacted, Candidate Agreed, Consent Confirmed, Connected, Declined, or Cancelled. You receive email notifications at key stages, including the final connection email with the candidate's contact details once consent is confirmed.

What fees apply for talent connections?

A talent connection fee applies for each successful Talent Connect introduction. The fee reflects the value of Shine People Solutions' trust, network depth, intellectual property, cultural nuance, and ability to make a culturally appropriate first approach. Fee amounts vary by subscription tier — contact Shine People Solutions for details. There is no fee for Request Shine Review (End to End Recruitment), as this is part of the managed recruitment engagement.

Australia's First & Only

Indigenous Talent Map by Shine People Solutions

Q: What is the Indigenous Talent Map?

The Indigenous Talent Map by Shine People Solutions is the first and only strategic workforce planning tool of its kind in Australia. It integrates Shine's proprietary network of over 20,000 Indigenous professionals with national Census data to show both the reachable talent in our network and that network's scale against the entire national pool for any given occupation.

The workforce intelligence platform that maps over 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals by occupation, location, education, and experience — benchmarked against ABS Census data. Turn Indigenous employment from a compliance exercise into a strategic capability.

Request a Demo See What It Can Do

Indigenous Talent Map interface showing workforce search and Census benchmarking

20,000+

Indigenous Professionals Mapped

93,000+

Employment Records Classified

506

Occupations Covered (OSCA)

89.8%

Classification Accuracy

15+

Years of Network Building

Why This Tool Needs to Exist

Finding Indigenous professionals through conventional recruitment is challenging for reasons most organisations don't fully understand.

A Small but Mighty Workforce

Only around 1 in 6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians work in white-collar professional roles. This makes Indigenous talent genuinely scarce in corporate and government settings, and traditional recruitment methods fall short.

A Hidden Talent Pool

Under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, employers cannot proactively search for candidates based on race or ethnicity. 63% of Indigenous employees experience "identity strain" — pressure around whether to disclose their Indigeneity at work. The talent exists, but it is often invisible to standard hiring processes.

The Census Undercount

The ABS Post-Enumeration Survey found a 17.4% undercount of Indigenous Australians in the Census itself. Under-identification is highest in professional and corporate settings. This means raw Census data alone significantly underestimates the true Indigenous workforce, making evidence-based planning nearly impossible without a tool like the Talent Map.

That's where the Indigenous Talent Map comes in. Built on Shine People Solutions' 15+ years of dedicated Indigenous recruitment, it makes the invisible visible.

What Is the Indigenous Talent Map?

The Indigenous Talent Map by Shine People Solutions integrates our proprietary network of over 20,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals with ABS 2021 Census data. It shows both the reachable talent in our network and that network's scale against the entire national Indigenous workforce for any given occupation.

It is not a job board. It is not a database of individual candidates. It is a strategic workforce intelligence platform that answers the question: “How many Indigenous professionals exist in occupation X in location Y, and what's our reach as a percentage of the national pool?”

All data is de-identified — no individual candidate names, contact details, or personally identifiable information is displayed. Your Shine consultant has access to the full, rich underlying data for deeper insight and candidate introductions.

Indigenous Talent Map Census benchmarking panel showing occupation coverage percentages

Who Is the Talent Map For?

From IPP tender compliance to RAP workforce planning, the Talent Map serves every organisation that needs to understand the Indigenous talent landscape.

Government Contractors (IPP)

Bidding on a Commonwealth contract over $7.5M?

The Indigenous Procurement Policy requires 4% Indigenous workforce for major government contracts. Demonstrate feasibility in your tender response with data-driven workforce intelligence.

The Challenge

Companies bidding on Commonwealth contracts worth $7.5M+ in 19 specified industry categories must achieve 4% Indigenous workforce (FTE) or 4% Indigenous subcontracting. Without workforce data, you cannot assess whether sufficient Indigenous talent exists before submitting your bid.

How the Talent Map Helps

Enter job titles from your tender scope — AI automatically maps them to correct occupation codes
See how many Indigenous professionals exist in the required occupations and locations
Generate a professional IPP Tender Feasibility Report — print to PDF and attach to your tender response
Save search criteria and re-run for similar contracts in the future
Identify gaps and propose training or scholarship programs backed by data

Tender Evaluators & Procurement Teams

Can this contractor actually deliver on their Indigenous employment commitments?

If you are responsible for evaluating tenders that include Indigenous employment targets, the Talent Map helps you assess whether a tenderer's workforce commitments are realistic and evidence-based.

The Challenge

Tender evaluators often receive Indigenous employment commitments from bidders without any way to verify whether sufficient Indigenous talent actually exists for the roles and locations specified. This makes it difficult to distinguish genuine, achievable plans from aspirational claims that are unlikely to be delivered.

How the Talent Map Helps

Independently verify whether Indigenous talent pools exist for the occupations and locations a tenderer is committing to
Compare a tenderer's claimed workforce targets against actual Census data and market intelligence
Understand which occupations have deep Indigenous talent pools and which have genuine scarcity
Use IPP Tender Feasibility Reports as a benchmark when assessing tenderer submissions
Set informed expectations for Indigenous employment conditions in contract requirements

RAP Organisations

Turning your RAP employment targets into evidence-based strategy

Over 1,300 organisations have Reconciliation Action Plans. Whether you have formal employment targets or are simply exploring Indigenous-specific roles, workforce intelligence helps you plan with confidence.

The Challenge

Stretch and Elevate RAPs require quantified employment targets. Without data, organisations either set aspirational but unachievable targets (leading to RAP failure) or timid targets that Reconciliation Australia pushes back on. Average Indigenous employment across surveyed companies is just 2.2% against a 3.3% parity rate.

How the Talent Map Helps

Set evidence-based employment targets per occupation and department
Generate RAP Workforce Reports with Census benchmarking and under-identification insights
Create combined multi-department reports from saved searches — one document for your entire RAP workforce plan
Identify departments with deep Indigenous talent pools (prioritise) versus gaps (plan cadetships)
Print professional reports for board papers and Reconciliation Australia reporting

Government Agencies

Meeting Indigenous employment targets with data

Commonwealth, state, and local government agencies with Indigenous employment strategies can use workforce intelligence to inform recruitment campaigns and graduate programs.

The Challenge

Many government agencies have specific Indigenous employment targets (e.g. APS 5% target) but lack the workforce data to understand where Indigenous talent exists for the roles they need to fill.

How the Talent Map Helps

Understand Indigenous talent availability across all occupations in your agency
Plan targeted graduate programs and recruitment campaigns based on talent pool data
Benchmark your reach against the national Indigenous workforce using Census data
Generate Sector Snapshot reports for strategic planning and executive briefings

Mining & Resources

Your native title agreement includes Indigenous employment obligations

Mining companies with Indigenous engagement commitments need to understand available talent pools, especially in remote regions where traditional recruitment channels have limited reach.

The Challenge

Mining companies often have Indigenous employment commitments as part of land use agreements, native title agreements, and social licence obligations. They need to know what talent exists in remote and regional locations.

How the Talent Map Helps

Filter by state/territory and occupation to assess local talent availability
Use blue-collar occupation gaps analysis for trades and operational roles
Review experience bands to plan a mix of experienced hires and traineeships
Generate workforce reports for community benefit plan reporting and board papers

Universities & TAFEs

Design scholarships that fill real workforce gaps

Use occupation gap analysis to identify which qualifications are most needed by Indigenous communities and align scholarship offerings with genuine workforce demand.

The Challenge

Education providers want to fund Indigenous scholarships that make a real difference, but without workforce data, scholarship programs may not align with actual employment gaps.

How the Talent Map Helps

Browse Occupation Gaps to find roles with high Census employment but low recruitment network coverage
Cross-reference with the ASCED Education Explorer to identify related qualifications
Design scholarships in high-gap fields (e.g. Environmental Science, Surveying, Engineering)
Generate Sector Snapshot reports showing workforce demand by education field

Researchers & Academics

A new lens on Indigenous workforce under-identification

Academic and policy research into Indigenous employment has historically relied on ABS Census data alone. The Talent Map provides a complementary, continuously updated data source with occupation and industry classification.

The Challenge

ABS Census data is published infrequently and known to undercount Indigenous Australians by 17.4%. Researchers need complementary data sources to triangulate workforce estimates and study under-identification patterns.

How the Talent Map Helps

Side-by-side comparison of recruitment network data against ABS Census figures
Occupation Gaps Analysis reveals potential under-identification in specific professional fields
Reports include citations to Gari Yala, ABS Post-Enumeration Survey, and DCA/Jumbunna research
Generate Sector Snapshot reports for use in research papers and policy submissions

State Government IPP Equivalents

NSW AIPP, QLD Buy Queensland, WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy

The same workforce data and reports that support Federal IPP compliance apply directly to state-level Indigenous procurement and employment policies across every Australian jurisdiction.

The Challenge

State-level procurement policies vary in name and detail, but the core question is the same: "Is there Indigenous talent available for this contract?" Contractors bidding on state government work need the same workforce intelligence.

How the Talent Map Helps

IPP Tender Feasibility Reports work for any government level — Federal, State, or Local
Filter by specific state/territory to assess local talent availability
Covers NSW AIPP, QLD Buy Queensland, WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy, VIC Social Procurement Framework, SA and NT policies
Save criteria for re-use across similar state government tenders

Powerful Features for Workforce Planning

From AI-powered search to professional report generation, every feature is designed to turn Indigenous workforce data into actionable intelligence.

Search & Filtering

Find Indigenous professionals by occupation, education, industry, location, and experience.

Search across 506 occupations using the OSCA 5-level cascading hierarchy (Major → Sub-Major → Minor → Unit → Occupation). Filter by ASCED education fields (3-level hierarchy), ANZSIC industry divisions (19 categories), experience bands (<2yr to 10+yr), state/territory location, recency (all history, last 5 years, or current role only), and free-text keyword search. All filters combine in real-time with live candidate count updates.

Census Benchmarking

Compare your reach against ABS Census Indigenous employment data.

Side-by-side comparison of Shine's talent pool against ABS 2021 Census Indigenous employment data. See your coverage percentage with a 6-tier colour scale (Outstanding → Low). An adjustable slider accounts for population growth estimates (0-20%). The total workforce across all backgrounds is displayed for context, helping you understand the full landscape.

Occupation Gaps Analysis

Identify untapped talent pipelines and strategic recruitment opportunities.

Discover occupations where ABS Census records Indigenous employment but recruitment networks have few or zero candidates — revealing untapped talent pools. Toggle between white-collar professional roles and blue-collar trades. The "Zero Coverage" tab shows occupations with no known candidates (pipeline opportunities), while the "Low Coverage" tab highlights growth areas. Click any row to jump directly to a filtered talent search.

Data Exploration

Browse occupations, education fields, and industries with live candidate counts.

The OSCA Occupation Explorer lets you browse all 506 occupations in an interactive 5-level tree with candidate counts at every level. The ASCED Education Explorer shows education fields in a 3-level hierarchy. The ANZSIC Industry Explorer covers all 19 divisions with live counts. The Top Occupations dashboard ranks the most common roles. Every explorer links directly to filtered talent search — one click from browsing to analysis.

Interactive Visualisation

Clickable maps, charts, and real-time analytics across every dimension.

Click any state or territory on the interactive map to instantly filter results by location. Talent pool breakdown charts allow drill-down into specific cohorts by occupation, experience, or education. All visualisations update live as filters are applied, with real-time candidate counts giving immediate feedback. Four dashboard layout modes (Classic, Command Centre, Focus View, Explorer) let you work the way you prefer.

AI Job Title Classifier

Enter plain-English job titles — AI maps them to correct occupation codes.

No need to understand OSCA classification systems. Type job titles as they appear in your tender scope or job descriptions (e.g. "site foreman", "project engineer", "business analyst") and the AI classifier automatically maps them to the correct OSCA occupation codes. This removes guesswork from report setup and ensures you search for the right roles every time.

Report Generation

Professional IPP, RAP, Sector, and Company Workforce reports — print to PDF, attach to tenders.

Four report types: IPP Tender Feasibility (executive summary, geographic distribution, experience breakdown, Census benchmarks — ready for tender responses), RAP Workforce Report (evidence-based target setting with under-identification insights for board papers), Sector Snapshot (industry-wide overview for strategic planning), and Company Workforce Report (organisation-specific talent pipeline assessment). All reports feature auto-generated AI narratives, combined multi-search capability, and professional Shine-branded PDF export.

Saved Searches

Store filter combinations, track changes over time, build workforce intelligence.

Save any filter combination with a custom name from the dashboard or reports page. Each saved search records the result count at time of saving, letting you track how talent pools change over time. Smart routing means re-running a saved search opens it in the correct context (dashboard or report generator). Combine multiple saved searches into a single multi-department report.

Learn & Support Centre

Built-in guides, FAQ, and AI-powered help — self-service from day one.

A built-in training hub accessible from the main navigation. Includes step-by-step written guides for every feature, a comprehensive FAQ section, and video tutorials (coming soon). The AI-powered help bot (Google Gemini) answers natural-language questions like "How do I generate an IPP report?" in real time. Included in all access tiers — clients self-onboard without scheduling training sessions.

How It Works

Three steps from workforce question to evidence-based answer.

Explore & Discover

Search by occupation, education, industry, location, and experience level. See real-time candidate counts update as you refine your filters. Use the AI Job Title Classifier to convert plain-English job titles into occupation codes.

Benchmark & Contextualise

Compare your search results against ABS Census data to understand what percentage of the national Indigenous workforce your search covers. Occupation gaps analysis reveals untapped talent pipelines and strategic opportunities.

Strategise & Report

Generate professional reports (IPP Tender Feasibility, RAP Workforce, Sector Snapshot, Company Workforce) ready to attach to tender responses, board papers, or RAP documentation. Save search criteria and build a library of workforce intelligence.

Connect & Recruit

Move from insight to action with two recruitment pathways. Use Talent Connect to request a culturally appropriate first approach to a candidate (talent connection fee applies). Or use Shine People Solutions End to End Recruitment, where Shine manages the full recruitment process on your behalf.

Nothing Else Like It in Australia

The Indigenous Talent Map occupies a unique position. No other tool combines proprietary recruitment intelligence with Census benchmarking in an interactive, self-service platform.

Alternative	What It Does	What's Missing
Supply Nation	Lists Indigenous-owned businesses	Not individual talent intelligence — businesses, not professionals
ABS Census (TableBuilder)	Raw Indigenous employment statistics	Not interactive, not enriched with recruitment data, published infrequently
Job Boards (Seek, Indeed)	Show who applies for advertised roles	Not strategic workforce planning — applicant flows, not workforce intelligence
LinkedIn Talent Insights	General workforce analytics	No Indigenous-specific lens, no Census benchmarking, no de-identified data
ATS/CRM Platforms	Track candidates already in your pipeline	Not strategic intelligence across the whole market — your pipeline only
CSIRO Indigenous Jobs Map	Maps job opportunities to Indigenous skills (demand side)	Maps jobs to people, not people to jobs — complementary research tool, not a recruitment or planning platform

The Indigenous Talent Map is the only tool that combines proprietary Indigenous recruitment intelligence, ABS Census benchmarking, AI-powered classification, and professional report generation in a single self-service platform.

Complementary to government research: CSIRO's Indigenous Jobs Map maps job opportunities to Indigenous skills (the demand side). The Indigenous Talent Map maps Indigenous professionals to occupations and locations (the supply side). Together they provide a complete picture of Indigenous workforce demand and supply across Australia.

How Coverage Works

Coverage Formula

Shine's Network

National Census Data

= Coverage %

Example: If the ABS Census records 400 Indigenous accountants nationally and Shine's network includes 148, the coverage is 37%.

This means Shine People Solutions has visibility of over a third of the entire national Indigenous accounting workforce. No other workforce planning tool in Australia offers this level of reach into the Indigenous professional market.

Census data is from the ABS 2021 Census, linked via official OSCA occupation codes. The 17.4% Census undercount means true coverage may be even higher.

Transparency & Privacy

All data in the Talent Map is de-identified. We show aggregated talent pool sizes and coverage percentages, not individual profiles. The platform is built on a privacy-first architecture with one-way hashing and no personally identifiable information in the analytics database. Your Shine consultant can provide deeper insight where needed.

Understanding the Policy Landscape

Indigenous workforce planning doesn't happen in a vacuum. Two key frameworks drive demand for workforce intelligence across Australia.

The IPP is a Commonwealth Government policy introduced 1 July 2015, administered by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). It is the primary federal mechanism for driving Indigenous economic participation through government procurement.

Mandatory Minimum Requirements (MMR): Contracts over $7.5 million in 19 specified industry categories must achieve 4% Indigenous workforce (FTE) or 4% subcontracting to Indigenous businesses.

The 19 industry categories include building, construction, maintenance, transportation, education, training, industrial cleaning, environmental services, healthcare, engineering, research, technology, management, and business services.

In 2024-25, over 1,200 Indigenous businesses secured 13,144 contracts valued at $1.6 billion under the IPP. Targets are increasing (3% portfolio target rising to 4% by 2030) and enforcement is tightening after ANAO audit findings.

State equivalents include NSW Aboriginal Procurement Policy (AIPP), QLD Indigenous Procurement Policy (QIPP), WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy (APP), VIC Social Procurement Framework (SPF), and SA and NT policies.

The Talent Map helps: Generate IPP Tender Feasibility Reports before bid submission, demonstrating workforce feasibility with data rather than guesswork.

A Reconciliation Action Plan is a formal document developed in partnership with Reconciliation Australia that commits an organisation to practical actions advancing reconciliation. Over 1,300 organisations are currently registered with the RAP program (running since 2006).

RAPs have four tiers: Reflect (scoping and learning), Innovate (developing strategy), Stretch (measurable targets with formal percentage employment goals), and Elevate (industry leadership with systemic change). While Stretch and Elevate RAPs include quantified employment targets, organisations at every tier benefit from workforce intelligence when creating Indigenous-specific roles or building diverse hiring pipelines.

Even organisations without a formal RAP can use the Talent Map to understand the Indigenous talent landscape before committing to Indigenous recruitment strategies or creating Indigenous-identified positions within their organisation.

The current reality: average Indigenous employment across surveyed companies is 2.2% against a 3.3% population parity rate (Minderoo Indigenous Employment Index). Most organisations are below parity.

Organisations setting RAP targets face a fundamental question: “Is our target realistic?” Without data, they either set aspirational but unachievable targets (leading to RAP failure) or timid targets that Reconciliation Australia pushes back on.

The Talent Map helps: Provide the evidence base for “Goldilocks” targets — ambitious but achievable — with Census benchmarking, occupation gap analysis, and professional RAP Workforce Reports.

Workforce Insights at Your Fingertips

The Indigenous Talent Map helps you answer questions that no other tool can.

How many Indigenous professionals are in my target occupation and location?

What percentage of the national Indigenous workforce can we reach?

Which occupations have the deepest Indigenous talent pools?

Where are the gaps between Census data and known professionals?

What qualifications do Indigenous professionals hold in my sector?

How experienced is the Indigenous talent pool for my target roles?

How do I meet the 4% Indigenous workforce requirement for my IPP contract?

Where should we set our RAP Stretch employment targets?

What Indigenous talent is available in the construction sector in NSW?

How many Indigenous engineers are in Western Australia?

What's the Indigenous talent pipeline for health professionals in Queensland?

Which occupations have the strongest Indigenous professional representation?

From Insight to Action

The Talent Map is more than a planning tool. Full Platform Access subscribers can move from workforce intelligence into recruitment through two distinct pathways.

Talent Connect

Client-led recruitment

When you identify a candidate you would like to connect with, use Request Talent Connection to ask Shine People Solutions to make a culturally appropriate first approach on your behalf. The candidate is contacted, their interest is gauged, and formal consent is obtained before any details are shared with you.

Shine People Solutions makes the culturally safe first approach
Candidate consent is required before any details are shared
You run the process from there
Track every request through a transparent status pipeline

A talent connection fee applies per introduction. Contact us for details.

Shine People Solutions End to End Recruitment

Shine-led recruitment

When you want Shine People Solutions to manage the recruitment process, use Request Shine Review to flag a candidate for your consultant. Shine manages candidate engagement, fit assessment, and the broader recruitment process on your behalf.

Shine People Solutions manages the full recruitment process
Flag candidates for current roles, future hiring, or succession planning
Deeper support and lower risk for your organisation
No per-introduction fee; part of your recruitment engagement

Included as part of your Shine People Solutions recruitment engagement.

Successful Indigenous recruitment outcomes depend on more than identifying candidates. Interview approach, cultural capability, and workplace readiness all play an important role. Shine People Solutions can support clients in these areas through consultancy and training.

Choose Your Access Level

Two tiers designed to match your workforce planning needs and budget.

Workforce Planning

Workforce Intelligence Platform

$6,200/month

Month-to-month, no lock-in contract

Talent Map search and filtering
OSCA, ASCED, and ANZSIC filters
Census benchmarking with coverage percentage
All 4 report types (IPP, RAP Workforce, Sector Snapshot, Company Workforce)
Saved searches
All data explorers (OSCA, ASCED, Industry)
AI Job Title Classifier
Location Feasibility
Learn & Support Centre access
AI-powered help bot
Dedicated Shine People Solutions consultant
Candidate-level actions (Shine Review, Talent Connection) are not available at this tier

Get Started

Full Platform Access

Full Strategic Partnership

Contact for Pricing

Full platform access with premium features

Candidate Access

Full anonymised candidate profiles — view detailed experience, education, and qualifications. Two recruitment pathways available: Request Shine Review for end to end recruitment support, or Request Talent Connection for client-led introductions.

Everything included in Workforce Planning, plus:
Full anonymised candidate profiles (unblurred)
Saved people / project workspaces for team collaboration
All 4 report types plus combined multi-search reports
Top Occupations dashboard
Graduate Pipeline
Industry Benchmarks
Occupation Gaps Analysis (zero & low coverage)
Request Shine Review for Shine People Solutions End to End Recruitment
Request Talent Connection for client-led introductions (talent connection fee applies — contact us for details)
Talent connection request tracking
Saved PD classification reports

Indigenous businesses and Not-for-Profit organisations are eligible for discounted pricing arrangements. Contact us to discuss.

Talent Map access is also available as part of our bundled Indigenous Strategic Workforce Solution packages.

Why Shine People Solutions

25-35%

of all Indigenous professionals in Australia are in Shine's network — representing the largest known Indigenous talent pool.

Since 2009

Over 15 years of dedicated Indigenous recruitment. The network was hand-built through thousands of hours of direct engagement.

Aboriginal-Owned

Proudly Aboriginal-owned and Supply Nation Certified. Built by Indigenous people, for Indigenous workforce outcomes.

Questions to Ask Your Recruiter

Before engaging a recruitment firm for Indigenous roles, make sure they can answer these critical questions.

Include Talent Map in Your Workforce Solution

Access the Indigenous Talent Map as part of a bundled service package, with exclusive add-ons available at higher tiers.

See the Talent. Plan the Pipeline. Win the Contract.

Whether you're bidding on a $50M government contract, setting RAP employment targets, or planning Indigenous workforce strategy, the Talent Map gives you the intelligence you need.

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