PALM ISLAND LOOKS FORWARD TO HIGHER EMPLOYMENT
Published Friday, 10 August, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The future is looking brighter for Palm Island where two dedicated officers are helping to increase local employment opportunities and the skills capacity of the whole community.
The officers are employed by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations supporting the recently expanded Indigenous Employment Strategy – a part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officer program began as a pilot program on Palm Island in 2000 and increased to 10 officers across Queensland by 2003.
“The pilot was established to maximise employment opportunities and economic conditions for Indigenous people and their communities across Queensland,” Mr Mickel said.
“In 2006, the pressing need for dedicated and committed staff on the ground in rural and remote communities saw the service expanded to include 40 officers servicing 25 regions throughout the state.
“I’m pleased to say that the latest Census results show Queensland now has the second highest Indigenous employment rate and the highest labour market participation rate in the country – an excellent result.”
Townsville and Palm Island Indigenous Employment Training Manager David Bell knows only too well the difficulties faced by Indigenous communities and the struggle for sustainable employment solutions.
Originally hailing from Cherbourg, he has over 20 years experience in working to increase the employment opportunities of Indigenous people.
Currently, he is responsible for developing and bringing to life employment and training strategies that support local economic development for the Palm Island community.
“We are approaching the unemployment problem here on many fronts. By skilling local people for work we give them the means to actively participate in the labour force.
“But also vital to Palm Island’s future is giving individuals skills that can be retained within the community,” he said.
“For this reason, wherever possible, we try to give people the skills that the community needs and the means to keep those skills on the Island.
“We work with other government agencies and the local community to create sustainable positions – currently these include an apprentice blocklayer, three administration trainees, two apprentice cabinet makers, three apprentice carpenters, one apprentice painter, two apprentice glaziers, five aquaculture trainees, five trainees in housing repairs and maintenance, two apprentice mechanics, an apprentice butcher and a trainee in broadcasting (radio).
“All of these people live and work on Palm Island.”
David sees his role as a central link between industry, local employers, training providers and Indigenous communities and he firmly believes that the future is looking brighter for Palm Island.
“One fabulous collaboration was the recent mining skills project – a partnership between the community, a Camooweal-based Indigenous organisation, Myuma, and the State Government which gave twelve jobseekers, including five Palm Islanders, training to fill roles in the skill starved mining industry.
“There is an obvious synergy between the needs of the mining industry and people living in Indigenous communities and this project was a win-win situation for all involved,” he said.
“The project graduation last month saw outstanding results with all twelve participants moving into paid employment, and we are hoping to run it again,”
he said.
Mr Bell also recognises that projects like this couldn’t succeed without the tireless efforts of the Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officers on the ground.
“The Support Officers are a frontline resource for project participants and employers alike on a daily basis,” Mr Bell said.
“Sidney Charlie (Chikko), Palm Island’s dedicated Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officer, has been working with the community for four years.
“He is very aware of the island’s unique challenges being the only support officer who lives and works on the island other staff such as doctors and nurses fly in from the mainland each day.
“Chikko wears many caps – as a mentor for participants, recruiter for employers and adviser to the local community.
“By working at a grassroots level he gives participants and trainees the support they need to gain or maintain work and helps employers become more aware about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures,” Mr Bell said.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative together with its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative have helped create more than 124,000 jobs for Queenslanders since 1998.
The initiative is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.
More information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.
Contact: Townsville and Palm Island Indigenous Employment and Training Manager David Bell 4760 7940 on david.bell@deir.qld.gov.au
Media Contact: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 10, 2007
The officers are employed by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations supporting the recently expanded Indigenous Employment Strategy – a part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officer program began as a pilot program on Palm Island in 2000 and increased to 10 officers across Queensland by 2003.
“The pilot was established to maximise employment opportunities and economic conditions for Indigenous people and their communities across Queensland,” Mr Mickel said.
“In 2006, the pressing need for dedicated and committed staff on the ground in rural and remote communities saw the service expanded to include 40 officers servicing 25 regions throughout the state.
“I’m pleased to say that the latest Census results show Queensland now has the second highest Indigenous employment rate and the highest labour market participation rate in the country – an excellent result.”
Townsville and Palm Island Indigenous Employment Training Manager David Bell knows only too well the difficulties faced by Indigenous communities and the struggle for sustainable employment solutions.
Originally hailing from Cherbourg, he has over 20 years experience in working to increase the employment opportunities of Indigenous people.
Currently, he is responsible for developing and bringing to life employment and training strategies that support local economic development for the Palm Island community.
“We are approaching the unemployment problem here on many fronts. By skilling local people for work we give them the means to actively participate in the labour force.
“But also vital to Palm Island’s future is giving individuals skills that can be retained within the community,” he said.
“For this reason, wherever possible, we try to give people the skills that the community needs and the means to keep those skills on the Island.
“We work with other government agencies and the local community to create sustainable positions – currently these include an apprentice blocklayer, three administration trainees, two apprentice cabinet makers, three apprentice carpenters, one apprentice painter, two apprentice glaziers, five aquaculture trainees, five trainees in housing repairs and maintenance, two apprentice mechanics, an apprentice butcher and a trainee in broadcasting (radio).
“All of these people live and work on Palm Island.”
David sees his role as a central link between industry, local employers, training providers and Indigenous communities and he firmly believes that the future is looking brighter for Palm Island.
“One fabulous collaboration was the recent mining skills project – a partnership between the community, a Camooweal-based Indigenous organisation, Myuma, and the State Government which gave twelve jobseekers, including five Palm Islanders, training to fill roles in the skill starved mining industry.
“There is an obvious synergy between the needs of the mining industry and people living in Indigenous communities and this project was a win-win situation for all involved,” he said.
“The project graduation last month saw outstanding results with all twelve participants moving into paid employment, and we are hoping to run it again,”
he said.
Mr Bell also recognises that projects like this couldn’t succeed without the tireless efforts of the Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officers on the ground.
“The Support Officers are a frontline resource for project participants and employers alike on a daily basis,” Mr Bell said.
“Sidney Charlie (Chikko), Palm Island’s dedicated Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officer, has been working with the community for four years.
“He is very aware of the island’s unique challenges being the only support officer who lives and works on the island other staff such as doctors and nurses fly in from the mainland each day.
“Chikko wears many caps – as a mentor for participants, recruiter for employers and adviser to the local community.
“By working at a grassroots level he gives participants and trainees the support they need to gain or maintain work and helps employers become more aware about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures,” Mr Bell said.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative together with its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative have helped create more than 124,000 jobs for Queenslanders since 1998.
The initiative is part of the State Government’s $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan which aims to provide individuals and industry with the skills and workforce for the 21st Century.
More information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.
Contact: Townsville and Palm Island Indigenous Employment and Training Manager David Bell 4760 7940 on david.bell@deir.qld.gov.au
Media Contact: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 10, 2007