ISLANDERS MAKING CONNECTIONS IN WIDE WORLD OF I.T.
Published Wednesday, 22 August, 2007 at 09:13 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Pacific Islander youth will lead the charge to educate themselves and their elders in information technology thanks to a $169,730 Skilling Queenslanders for Work grant.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the project was being run by the Australian-Tongan Youth & Community Association.
“Ten young unemployed Islanders will do paid work placements creating websites for three local Pacific Islander not-for-profit community organisations,” Mr Mickel said.
“IT skills are now an integral part of work and everyday life but Pacific Islander community leaders are concerned their IT knowledge is lacking.
“Participants will learn skills that will carry them into the future and the websites they create will help connect their community,” he said.
The project also offers 25 year-long job preparation courses and 15 six-month Certificate I in Work Access TAFE courses.
Association manager Sitika Satui said the project was the start of a push to keep Pacific Islanders up to date with technological change.
“There is a lack of specific knowledge on IT and establishing websites among our people,” Ms Satui said.
“Participants will learn professional web design and related IT skills and the websites they create will make Pacific Islanders feel they belong to this new era of modern technology.
“This project is bridging the gap and making IT appealing to more of our youth and also one way of breaking the cycle of them doing cheap labour and factory jobs.”
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.
Skilling Queenslanders for Work 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.
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925
Contact: Australian-Tongan Youth & Community Association Manager Sitika Satui on 0408 793 599 or at ssatui@bigpond.net.au
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 22, 2007
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the project was being run by the Australian-Tongan Youth & Community Association.
“Ten young unemployed Islanders will do paid work placements creating websites for three local Pacific Islander not-for-profit community organisations,” Mr Mickel said.
“IT skills are now an integral part of work and everyday life but Pacific Islander community leaders are concerned their IT knowledge is lacking.
“Participants will learn skills that will carry them into the future and the websites they create will help connect their community,” he said.
The project also offers 25 year-long job preparation courses and 15 six-month Certificate I in Work Access TAFE courses.
Association manager Sitika Satui said the project was the start of a push to keep Pacific Islanders up to date with technological change.
“There is a lack of specific knowledge on IT and establishing websites among our people,” Ms Satui said.
“Participants will learn professional web design and related IT skills and the websites they create will make Pacific Islanders feel they belong to this new era of modern technology.
“This project is bridging the gap and making IT appealing to more of our youth and also one way of breaking the cycle of them doing cheap labour and factory jobs.”
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.
Skilling Queenslanders for Work 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.
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925
Contact: Australian-Tongan Youth & Community Association Manager Sitika Satui on 0408 793 599 or at ssatui@bigpond.net.au
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 22, 2007