ASSISTANCE FOR OLDER SUNSHINE COAST UNEMPLOYED

Unemployed mature-aged people on the Sunshine Coast have the opportunity to learn new work skills thanks to a local project.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said 50 participants will complete a mix of training in retail, aged care, horticulture and business administration training.

“This will give them a variety of skills in industries looking for reliable and motivated staff,” Mr Mickel said.

“With unemployment at a 30-year low of 3.6 per cent in Queensland and a strong economy, we are going to need all the people we can get participating in the workforce.

“The State Government’s Experience Pays campaign is encouraging employers to recruit, retrain and retain mature-age people and I’m confident these participants will set a great example of what older people can add to the workforce.

“The key to that is to help people build the skills needed by employers and industry.”

“Queenslanders Working Together, an Australian Government funded program administered through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, provided $79,060 for this project.”

CADET Training and Employment Sunshine Coast Training Manager Glenn Smith said the project will conduct five intakes with training conducted over nine weeks.

“Participants will come in two days a week and the course covers, language, literacy and numeracy, personal development and job search training as well as the accredited training,” Mr Smith said.

“We will also provide three months post-placement support so we can help people adjust to working life again.

“The classes will be conducted by our own registered training organisation CADET Training College and the mix of skills will assist participants in whatever field they move into.”

During 2007/08 the Queensland Government will invest $80 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 17,000 long-term unemployed and underemployed people job related assistance and skills training to maximise labour force participation and increase Queensland's prosperity.

Twelve months after receiving customised employment and training assistance

67 per cent of participants are in employment.

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 21^st Century.

For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925

Contact: CADET Training and Employment Sunshine Coast Training Manager Glenn Smith on 5436 6003 or glenn@cadet.org.au

Ministerial contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Nathan Moir 3235 4060

November 09, 2007