$600,000 State funding skills Brisbane unemployed for work
Published Tuesday, 22 January, 2008 at 08:40 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Seventy-four disadvantaged jobseekers will get the skills they need to make a successful transition into the workforce thanks to Queensland Government funding.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said Brisbane City Council has been awarded $600,000 to run four Skilling Queenslanders for Work projects.
“Although careful economic management has seen unemployment drop to historical lows we now risk the adverse effects of skills shortages,” Mr Mickel said.
“There are hundreds of thousands of people who don’t appear in unemployment statistics because they aren’t categorised as participating in the workforce.
“Projects like this aim to increase workforce participation levels to ensure everyone has the chance of sharing in and contributing to, our current prosperity.”
Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the funding will allow the council to run three paid work placement projects.
“All work placements will give participants skills in areas where businesses are struggling to find skilled staff,” Cr Newman said.
“On the first project 20 participants will receive paid work with the council gaining skills in office administration and finances, community development, library work, information technology, civil construction and horticulture.
“The second project will employ six participants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and train them in recruitment and retention to assist other members of their community in accessing employment opportunities.
“On the final work placement project eight participants will receive paid work on a construction and landscaping project at Carole Park.
“The funding will also allow us to continue last year’s highly successful Working On Program which will offer specialised training and assistance to 40 young people recovering from substance abuse.”
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 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: Brisbane City Council Strategy and Business Leader Bill Studley on 3403 5430 or bill.studley@brisbane.qld.gov.au
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
January 22, 2008
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said Brisbane City Council has been awarded $600,000 to run four Skilling Queenslanders for Work projects.
“Although careful economic management has seen unemployment drop to historical lows we now risk the adverse effects of skills shortages,” Mr Mickel said.
“There are hundreds of thousands of people who don’t appear in unemployment statistics because they aren’t categorised as participating in the workforce.
“Projects like this aim to increase workforce participation levels to ensure everyone has the chance of sharing in and contributing to, our current prosperity.”
Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the funding will allow the council to run three paid work placement projects.
“All work placements will give participants skills in areas where businesses are struggling to find skilled staff,” Cr Newman said.
“On the first project 20 participants will receive paid work with the council gaining skills in office administration and finances, community development, library work, information technology, civil construction and horticulture.
“The second project will employ six participants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and train them in recruitment and retention to assist other members of their community in accessing employment opportunities.
“On the final work placement project eight participants will receive paid work on a construction and landscaping project at Carole Park.
“The funding will also allow us to continue last year’s highly successful Working On Program which will offer specialised training and assistance to 40 young people recovering from substance abuse.”
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 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: Brisbane City Council Strategy and Business Leader Bill Studley on 3403 5430 or bill.studley@brisbane.qld.gov.au
Ministerial contacts: Chris Brown on 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
January 22, 2008