NEW PROJECT ASSISTS UNEMPLOYED ON FRASER COAST
Published Friday, 09 November, 2007 at 01:09 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
The State Government and Community Employment Options have teamed up to develop the skills of 45 unemployed people from around the Fraser Coast.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said the Access to Work project would give participants a mix of accredited training and job preparation to get them ready to join the workforce.
“This project will give 30 people skills suited to working in customer service roles while the remaining 15 will be ready to work in the light manufacturing industry,” Mr Mickel said.
“The project aims to assist people who have been unemployed for more than a year, mature-aged jobseekers and parents and carers who want to join the workforce.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative provided Community Employment Options with $38,650 to manage this project.”
Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said developing the skills of unemployed people also helps keep their confidence up.
“It is easy for someone who has been out of the workforce for a long time to think that they aren’t needed in the workforce anymore or that their skills are out-of-date,” Mr McNamara said.
“Employers are looking for more workers even with Queensland’s unemployment rate at a 30-year low of 3.6 per cent, so it is important we remember and assist those people who are struggling to join the workforce.
“This project and others funded through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative will help give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.”
Community Employment Options Training and Education Manager Peter Grumley said the project would assist people from Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, Gayndah, Mundubbera, Eidsvold and Monto.
“Access to Work provides participants with a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills which will help them find work and also gives them a chance to see what TAFE training can do for them,” Mr Grumley said.
“Wide Bay Institute of TAFE will deliver the accredited training in the project and it covers competencies such as using power and hand held tools and working with colleagues and customers.
“Our job preparation training covers workplace communication, searching for jobs and how to apply for a job.”
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 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 21st Century.
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925
Contact: For customer service program Community Employment Options Training and Education Manager Peter Grumley on 4124 0500 or pgrumley@employment.org.au or
Light manufacturing program Community Employment Options
Site Manager Anne Wendt Hervey Bay on 4124 0500 or awendt@employment.org.au
Member for Hervey Bay contact: 4124 1386
Ministerial contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Nathan Moir 3235 4060
November 09, 2007
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said the Access to Work project would give participants a mix of accredited training and job preparation to get them ready to join the workforce.
“This project will give 30 people skills suited to working in customer service roles while the remaining 15 will be ready to work in the light manufacturing industry,” Mr Mickel said.
“The project aims to assist people who have been unemployed for more than a year, mature-aged jobseekers and parents and carers who want to join the workforce.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative provided Community Employment Options with $38,650 to manage this project.”
Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said developing the skills of unemployed people also helps keep their confidence up.
“It is easy for someone who has been out of the workforce for a long time to think that they aren’t needed in the workforce anymore or that their skills are out-of-date,” Mr McNamara said.
“Employers are looking for more workers even with Queensland’s unemployment rate at a 30-year low of 3.6 per cent, so it is important we remember and assist those people who are struggling to join the workforce.
“This project and others funded through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative will help give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.”
Community Employment Options Training and Education Manager Peter Grumley said the project would assist people from Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, Gayndah, Mundubbera, Eidsvold and Monto.
“Access to Work provides participants with a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills which will help them find work and also gives them a chance to see what TAFE training can do for them,” Mr Grumley said.
“Wide Bay Institute of TAFE will deliver the accredited training in the project and it covers competencies such as using power and hand held tools and working with colleagues and customers.
“Our job preparation training covers workplace communication, searching for jobs and how to apply for a job.”
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 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 21st Century.
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925
Contact: For customer service program Community Employment Options Training and Education Manager Peter Grumley on 4124 0500 or pgrumley@employment.org.au or
Light manufacturing program Community Employment Options
Site Manager Anne Wendt Hervey Bay on 4124 0500 or awendt@employment.org.au
Member for Hervey Bay contact: 4124 1386
Ministerial contact: Chris Brown 3237 1944 or Nathan Moir 3235 4060
November 09, 2007