MINISTER VISITS CAIRNS JOBSEEKERS
Published Tuesday, 28 August, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel today visited five long-term unemployed Cairns people who are designing and building billy carts and children’s furniture as part of an 18-week employment project.
Mr Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is funding the paid work placements through an $173,870 grant to Choice Australia to assist 20 local jobseekers
“Learning new skills and gaining workplace experience through projects like Choices Are Us helps people be more competitive in the jobs market,” Mr Mickel said.
“Participating and completing a project like this also builds up each person’s confidence because many of them have been out of the workforce so long they can wonder if they still have something to offer.
“While unemployment is at a 30-year low of 3.5 per cent in Queensland, it is important to remember there are still people out there who are having difficulty finding work.
“Programs like this under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative will help give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.”
Choice Australia Business Manager Neville Appleby said the billy carts being built here will be donated to not-for-profit organisations helping disadvantaged children so the wider community also benefits.
“We also have eight young people taking part in a Get Set for Work project here as well,” Mr Appleby said.
“This project assists young people aged 15-17 who have disengaged or at risk of disengaging with education or employment.
“Choice Australia has run many employment projects thanks to this initiative and its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative going back to 1999.
“Some of the current staff actually first got involved with the organisation through some of those earlier projects.”
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: Choice Australia Neville Appleby on 4042 7904 or neville@choices.org.au
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 28, 2007
Mr Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is funding the paid work placements through an $173,870 grant to Choice Australia to assist 20 local jobseekers
“Learning new skills and gaining workplace experience through projects like Choices Are Us helps people be more competitive in the jobs market,” Mr Mickel said.
“Participating and completing a project like this also builds up each person’s confidence because many of them have been out of the workforce so long they can wonder if they still have something to offer.
“While unemployment is at a 30-year low of 3.5 per cent in Queensland, it is important to remember there are still people out there who are having difficulty finding work.
“Programs like this under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative will help give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.”
Choice Australia Business Manager Neville Appleby said the billy carts being built here will be donated to not-for-profit organisations helping disadvantaged children so the wider community also benefits.
“We also have eight young people taking part in a Get Set for Work project here as well,” Mr Appleby said.
“This project assists young people aged 15-17 who have disengaged or at risk of disengaging with education or employment.
“Choice Australia has run many employment projects thanks to this initiative and its predecessor the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative going back to 1999.
“Some of the current staff actually first got involved with the organisation through some of those earlier projects.”
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: Choice Australia Neville Appleby on 4042 7904 or neville@choices.org.au
Media Contacts: Chris Brown on 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion on 3224 6784
August 28, 2007