Deception Bay skills migrants and Indigenous people

The State Government is funding an employment project to assist 60 unemployed multicultural and Indigenous people from Deception Bay.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Murrumba
Dean Wells said Anglicare Refugee and Migrant Services received $262,630 from the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to fund the project.

“The Skilling Migrants and Indigenous participants in Lifeskills and Employment (SMILE) project offers job preparation, accredited training and paid work placements,” Mr Mickel said.

“The variety of assistance available through this project will give participants the help they need to become more competitive when applying for jobs.

“All participants will complete job preparation activities while 30 people will undertake accredited training to address local skill shortage industry areas.

“Ten paid work placements are available for Samoan migrants to gain the experience they need to overcome the barriers that are keeping them out of the workforce.”

Member for Murrumba Dean Wells said low self-confidence and lacking local skills and qualifications or recent experience in Australian workplaces reduces people’s chances of finding employment.

“While unemployment is at a 30-year low of 3.8 per cent in Queensland, it is important to remember there are still people and groups out there who are missing out in our strong economy,” Mr Wells said.

“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative funds projects like this which help give people the skills they need to participate meaningfully in the workforce.

“Employers are still looking for workers with the right skills and SMILE will help more Indigenous and multicultural people fill those vacancies and contribute more to our economy and society.”

Anglicare Refugee and Migrant Services Assistant Manager Valerie Clarke said the organisation has strong connections to multicultural groups in Deception Bay and has linked with the Murriajabree Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Association to help the Indigenous participants on the project.

“We are providing assistance that is sensitive to their needs and will also help them into further education and training or the workforce,” Ms Clarke said.
“Participants selected to take on the paid work placements will organise an event that captures and shares the cultural stories of Pacific Islander communities.

“Our job preparation support covers topics like employer expectations, the Australian workplace environment, literacy and numeracy assistance and how to use a computer.”

Anglicare Refugee and Migrants Service delivers the SMILE project as a part of Spiritus – a member of Anglicare Australia.

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: Anglicare Refugee and Migrant Services Assistant Manager Valerie Clarke on 3892 6932 or vclarke@spiritus.org.au

Member for Murrumba contact: 3293 1069

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

December 19, 2007