Published Monday, 21 January, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Assistance for Toowoomba and Dalby early school leavers
A $365,260 grant from the State Government will assist 62 young school leavers from Toowoomba and Dalby to build-up their skills or find work.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said Downs Industry Schools Co-Operation (DISCO) is organising the Get Set for Work project thanks to the grant under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
“The Get Set for Work program offers a mix of accredited training, work experience, personal development and job preparation activities to help participants into employment, further education, or return to school to complete Year 12,” Mr Mickel said.
“If someone aged between 15 and 17 leaves school they need to have a plan for their future and be prepared to take the next step in their life or risk becoming long-term unemployed or stuck in unsustainable work”.
“This program is about assisting disadvantaged young people to develop the knowledge and understanding they need to make decisions about their short and long-term futures.”
Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said supporting disadvantaged people into the workforce was important in the current strong economy.
“The unemployment rate is at a low 3.9 per cent and our businesses and industries need to find more workers and more skills to keep the good times going,” Mr Shine said.
“Our young people are an important part of the solution to that problem but not all of them will handle the formal education system on their own so we must be prepared with projects like this that will keep them engaged within the community.
“Getting them into a job, signed up for a training course or back to school are all good outcomes because each will build their skills and give them more options in the future.”
DISCO Get Set for Work Program Manager Belinda Dahl said the project aims to recruit 38 people from Toowoomba and 24 from Dalby.
“Most of these participants will undertake a Certificate I in Retail, complete some ‘Try a Trade’ activities and undergo personal development training,” Ms Dahl said.”
“We can also offer training in Senior First Aid and to earn a Construction Blue Card.”
“We’ll take groups of participants out on a three-day camp so they work on teamwork, communication and organisational skills in a fun and active environment.”
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: DISCO Get Set for Work Program Manager Belinda Dahl on 4638 3088 or belinda@disco.org.au
Member for Toowoomba North contact: 4638 5755
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
January 21, 2008
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said Downs Industry Schools Co-Operation (DISCO) is organising the Get Set for Work project thanks to the grant under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
“The Get Set for Work program offers a mix of accredited training, work experience, personal development and job preparation activities to help participants into employment, further education, or return to school to complete Year 12,” Mr Mickel said.
“If someone aged between 15 and 17 leaves school they need to have a plan for their future and be prepared to take the next step in their life or risk becoming long-term unemployed or stuck in unsustainable work”.
“This program is about assisting disadvantaged young people to develop the knowledge and understanding they need to make decisions about their short and long-term futures.”
Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine said supporting disadvantaged people into the workforce was important in the current strong economy.
“The unemployment rate is at a low 3.9 per cent and our businesses and industries need to find more workers and more skills to keep the good times going,” Mr Shine said.
“Our young people are an important part of the solution to that problem but not all of them will handle the formal education system on their own so we must be prepared with projects like this that will keep them engaged within the community.
“Getting them into a job, signed up for a training course or back to school are all good outcomes because each will build their skills and give them more options in the future.”
DISCO Get Set for Work Program Manager Belinda Dahl said the project aims to recruit 38 people from Toowoomba and 24 from Dalby.
“Most of these participants will undertake a Certificate I in Retail, complete some ‘Try a Trade’ activities and undergo personal development training,” Ms Dahl said.”
“We can also offer training in Senior First Aid and to earn a Construction Blue Card.”
“We’ll take groups of participants out on a three-day camp so they work on teamwork, communication and organisational skills in a fun and active environment.”
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: DISCO Get Set for Work Program Manager Belinda Dahl on 4638 3088 or belinda@disco.org.au
Member for Toowoomba North contact: 4638 5755
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
January 21, 2008