The traineeship is named after the late Burnum Burnum, the Aboriginal activist, actor, and author who lived at Woronora and was active in the local community.

The Burnum Burnum Traineeship offers a young Aboriginal person the chance to work with the council's parks and recreation team to improve bushland in the shire.

The traineeship is named after the late Burnum Burnum, the Aboriginal activist, actor, and author who lived at Woronora and was active in the local community.

He died in 1997 and a portrait of him hangs in Sutherland Library.

Jannali Reserve was renamed Burnum Burnum Reserve in 2005 in his honour.

His widow Marelle Burnum Burnum said that her husband would have approved of the traineeship.

"He would have been very proud, particularly as the traineeship involves the environment and communication with the Earth," she said.

"Aborigines have a very strong communication with the land; the land is linked to the legends about the Dreamtime."

Part of the traineeship involves the recipient being able to undertake on-the-job learning and TAFE training in conservation land management.

The scheme was announced as part of a mayoral minute which was put forward by councillor Steve Simpson before he stepped down recently as the Sutherland Shire mayor.

Cr Simpson said the council had more than 1000 hectares of natural areas under its management across 300 locations.

Excluding the national parks, the council had almost 1000 recorded Aboriginal sites.

Cr Simpson said the area allowed many opportunities for people to explore the shire and contribute to improving local bushland and be paid at the same time.

The council also has early childhood, school-based traineeships and programs in surveying, project management and design, and park apprenticeships in horticulture.

What other training should Sutherland Shire Council offer?