$1.2 MILLION FUNDS SKILLS BOOST FOR LOCAL INDUSTRIES
Published Thursday, 20 September, 2007 at 09:19 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Local jobseekers unable to access Job Network services will be assisted to
gain much needed industry skills and job preparation assistance thanks to over
$1.2 million funding from the State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said Community Solutions will receive the funding to assist 270 jobseekers from the Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg regions over the next year in the Employment Pathways project.
“Four projects will take place in these regions offering a variety of options to
jobseekers who have difficulty accessing the usual job assistance services like mature-age, parents and careers, and disadvantaged young people,” Mr Mickel said.
“These sub-projects will offer a combination of assistance including paid work placements, accredited training and job preparation.
“They address the needs of local industries with identified skills shortages like aged care, construction, business, hospitality and retail.
“Unemployment might be at a 30-year low of 3.5 percent in Queensland but there are still people who have difficulty finding work and accessing support.
“Skilling Queenslander for Work initiative funded projects like this are helping people acquire the skills they need to find meaningful work and local industries the skilled workers they need to remain viable.
“And at a time when the State Government is encouraging employers to recruit, retrain and retain mature-age workers through the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy, this project supports those messages on a local level providing skills and support to 170 mature-age jobseekers,” Mr Mickel said.
Community Solutions General Manager David Curd said the first Employment Pathways project would offer 150 mature-age participants from the Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg regions job preparation assistance and either accredited training or paid work placement opportunities with community organisations.
“A further 20 mature-age Bundaberg participants will be offered paid work placements in local organisations gaining valuable experience and skills in administration, hospitality and retail,” Mr Curd said.
“An additional 50 Sunshine Coast jobseekers will be able to access job preparation and accredited training in business administration or other vocational training.
“Twenty-five young people and 25 long term unemployed from Maryborough and Hervey Bay will receive job preparation and the opportunity to commence accredited training in business administration, construction or hospitality.
“All participants will receive a Personal Action Plan as part of a personalised and flexible case management process which matches work experience, training and personal support needs and circumstances for each participant.
“They also will receive support after completing the project for a further six months, including access to Community Solutions’ computer, facsimile and photocopying facilities.”
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 and the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy are 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
For information on the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy visit www.experiencepays.qld.gov.au or call 1800 630 647.
Contact: Community Solutions General Manager David Curd on 5437 9499 or dcurd@community-solutions.com.au
Ministerial Contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion on 3237 1125
September 20, 2007
gain much needed industry skills and job preparation assistance thanks to over
$1.2 million funding from the State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said Community Solutions will receive the funding to assist 270 jobseekers from the Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg regions over the next year in the Employment Pathways project.
“Four projects will take place in these regions offering a variety of options to
jobseekers who have difficulty accessing the usual job assistance services like mature-age, parents and careers, and disadvantaged young people,” Mr Mickel said.
“These sub-projects will offer a combination of assistance including paid work placements, accredited training and job preparation.
“They address the needs of local industries with identified skills shortages like aged care, construction, business, hospitality and retail.
“Unemployment might be at a 30-year low of 3.5 percent in Queensland but there are still people who have difficulty finding work and accessing support.
“Skilling Queenslander for Work initiative funded projects like this are helping people acquire the skills they need to find meaningful work and local industries the skilled workers they need to remain viable.
“And at a time when the State Government is encouraging employers to recruit, retrain and retain mature-age workers through the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy, this project supports those messages on a local level providing skills and support to 170 mature-age jobseekers,” Mr Mickel said.
Community Solutions General Manager David Curd said the first Employment Pathways project would offer 150 mature-age participants from the Sunshine Coast, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Bundaberg regions job preparation assistance and either accredited training or paid work placement opportunities with community organisations.
“A further 20 mature-age Bundaberg participants will be offered paid work placements in local organisations gaining valuable experience and skills in administration, hospitality and retail,” Mr Curd said.
“An additional 50 Sunshine Coast jobseekers will be able to access job preparation and accredited training in business administration or other vocational training.
“Twenty-five young people and 25 long term unemployed from Maryborough and Hervey Bay will receive job preparation and the opportunity to commence accredited training in business administration, construction or hospitality.
“All participants will receive a Personal Action Plan as part of a personalised and flexible case management process which matches work experience, training and personal support needs and circumstances for each participant.
“They also will receive support after completing the project for a further six months, including access to Community Solutions’ computer, facsimile and photocopying facilities.”
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 and the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy are 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
For information on the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy visit www.experiencepays.qld.gov.au or call 1800 630 647.
Contact: Community Solutions General Manager David Curd on 5437 9499 or dcurd@community-solutions.com.au
Ministerial Contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Elouise Campion on 3237 1125
September 20, 2007