Spotlight on Michelle Young
Michelle Young lives in Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte), a remote community with a population of around 500 people, located 85km south-east of Alice Springs.
Michelle grew up speaking the languages of both Eastern Arrernte and English at home.
Before starting at Outback Stores Michelle was an artist working at the local Keringke Art Centre, famous for its particularly bright and intricate style of dot paintings.
When she first started working at the store in Santa Teresa, she was keen to learn how to use the cash registers. Her favourite subject at school had always been mathematics and she thinks that it’s probably why she learned the cash register so quickly.
Since working at the store, Michelle has completed the highest level of certified training that Outback Stores provides, completing her Certificate IV in Retail Management in 2021.
She enjoyed learning all aspects of the management training and was able to put those skills to use very soon afterwards when the COVID-19 virus struck the community. With both store managers ill, Michelle and another long-term employee, Troy Turner, drew on their training to keep the community’s only store operating amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photos
Top: Michelle Young at Santa Teresa Community Store
Bottom: Michelle with colleague Troy Turner and previous store managers Shkarra Baskott and Matt Carter.
Michelle was willing to go above and beyond to make sure the store stayed open when the community was affected by COVID-19. She is a star employee and has a lot of potential.
– Shkarra Baskott, previous co-manager of Santa Teresa store.
Michelle Young (left) and other store staff with Labor politician and current MP for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour.
I want to be a good example for my daughter.
– Michelle Young