140 Brisbane South jobseekers to get construction training

A government funded project will improve the Salisbury and Acacia Ridge areas through construction work on local school buildings, paving of bikeways and skilling 140 job seekers.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the project will receive $764,640 Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding.

“It is recognised this project will serve multiple benefits for the community with environmental, transportation, education, industrial and employment ramifications,” Mr Mickel said.

“Over the year this project will improve the aesthetics and functionality of community areas and facilities and skill disadvantaged job seekers in industries currently suffering skills shortages.

“The Construction Training Centre will deliver the project within three smaller projects that include paid work placements, accredited training and job preparation activities.”

Construction Training Centre CEO Phil Diver said one of the projects will be delivered under the CivSkills program which is linked to Construction Skills Queensland’s Be Constructive initiative.

“TAFE funding will support the CivSkills project which aims to prepare 100 south-east Queenslanders for employment in the civil construction industry,” Mr Diver said.

“Twenty participants will be employed for construction work at Salisbury schools and will develop painting, concreting and landscaping skills under the supervision of Master Painters Australia followed by assistance into employment using existing networks.

“Work will be carried out at the Salisbury and Moorooka State Schools, Nyanda and Yeronga State High Schools and the Construction Training Centre.

“An additional 20 participants will get paid work paving bikeways in Acacia Ridge and completing beautification works including tree planting and picnic shelter construction at C.A. O’Sullivan and Mortimer Road Parks.”

In addition to the Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding, there will also be:

• $210,000 Department of Housing funding under the Queensland Government’s Community Renewal program
• $450,000 TAFE Queensland grant
• $10,000 Education Queensland funding
• $95,909 Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations funding
• $50,000 Brisbane City Council funding
• $449,710 from the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund

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: The Construction Training Centre Program Manager Pam Anderson on
3272 7615 or pam.anderson@ctc.qld.edu.au

Ministerial contacts: Nathan Moir 3235 4060

January 31, 2007