Published Wednesday, 04 June, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
$80 MILLION INVESTMENT IN JOB SEEKERS
The Queensland Government will invest $80 million to help more than 15,000 disadvantaged job seekers get jobs under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative in 2008-09.
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative was aimed at addressing major constraints to the state’s economic development, in particular shortages of labour.
Mr Mickel said labour shortages were being exacerbated by an ageing population, labour under-utilisation and lower labour productivity.
“About 200,000 Queenslanders have the capacity to work and are not in the labour market and another 100,000 are underemployed,’’ he said.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is an $80 million investment targeted at maximising labour force participation and workplace development.
“Our objective is to lift productivity, increase capacity and promote social inclusion.
“Building human capital and increasing the capacity of individuals and families is vital to sustain economic growth and manage the increasing demand for state services.”
Mr Mickel said in 2008-09 the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative would target disadvantaged groups in the labour market including Indigenous people, early school leavers, mature-aged people, parents and carers wanting to re-enter the workforce, people with a disability, migrants and refugees.
He said the 2008-09 Budget aimed to improve productivity, equity, safety and participation in Queensland workplaces.
Key budget initiatives for the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations include:
• $5 million for the Participate in Prosperity program to fund intensive case management and social enterprise development in regions including Caboolture/Deception Bay, Logan/Beenleigh and the South-West/Ipswich corridor. In addition, the department will also identify opportunities to link social housing tenants to employment and training opportunities. There will be a focus on Indigenous tenants in north and far north Queensland.
• A new program under the Queensland Workplace Heath and Safety strategy 2004-12 provides $650,000 to assist workplaces in developing strategies to avoid musculo-skeletal injuries.
• An additional $1.9 million will be spent in 2008-09 to employ 10 new electrical compliance staff and improve community education.
• The department will invest $700,000 in Smart Workplaces strategies focusing on work-life balance and pay equity to improve workforce participation by women and employees with family responsibilities.
• $2 million will support the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy to encourage the recruitment, retention and retraining of mature-age employees.
Mr Mickel said Queensland continued to lead Australia in the provision of assistance for the most disadvantaged in the workforce through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
“A critical part of the initiative is the Get Set for Work program, which will assist more than 2000 young people who have left school early or are in danger of falling into long-term unemployment, with an investment of $10.6 million,” he said.
“This program has proved immensely successful in helping young people with difficulties find jobs or training and get their lives back on track.
“In 2008-09 we expect more than 70 projects around the state to be funded.’’
Mr Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative would be backed by more than $13.69 million from the Department of Education, Training and the Arts to deliver 806,300 hours of training for participants.
He said the success of the initiative was demonstrated by the fact that some 71 per cent of participants were either in work or training 12 months after completing employment assistance or work programs.
Media contacts: John Smith 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
June 4, 2008
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative was aimed at addressing major constraints to the state’s economic development, in particular shortages of labour.
Mr Mickel said labour shortages were being exacerbated by an ageing population, labour under-utilisation and lower labour productivity.
“About 200,000 Queenslanders have the capacity to work and are not in the labour market and another 100,000 are underemployed,’’ he said.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is an $80 million investment targeted at maximising labour force participation and workplace development.
“Our objective is to lift productivity, increase capacity and promote social inclusion.
“Building human capital and increasing the capacity of individuals and families is vital to sustain economic growth and manage the increasing demand for state services.”
Mr Mickel said in 2008-09 the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative would target disadvantaged groups in the labour market including Indigenous people, early school leavers, mature-aged people, parents and carers wanting to re-enter the workforce, people with a disability, migrants and refugees.
He said the 2008-09 Budget aimed to improve productivity, equity, safety and participation in Queensland workplaces.
Key budget initiatives for the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations include:
• $5 million for the Participate in Prosperity program to fund intensive case management and social enterprise development in regions including Caboolture/Deception Bay, Logan/Beenleigh and the South-West/Ipswich corridor. In addition, the department will also identify opportunities to link social housing tenants to employment and training opportunities. There will be a focus on Indigenous tenants in north and far north Queensland.
• A new program under the Queensland Workplace Heath and Safety strategy 2004-12 provides $650,000 to assist workplaces in developing strategies to avoid musculo-skeletal injuries.
• An additional $1.9 million will be spent in 2008-09 to employ 10 new electrical compliance staff and improve community education.
• The department will invest $700,000 in Smart Workplaces strategies focusing on work-life balance and pay equity to improve workforce participation by women and employees with family responsibilities.
• $2 million will support the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy to encourage the recruitment, retention and retraining of mature-age employees.
Mr Mickel said Queensland continued to lead Australia in the provision of assistance for the most disadvantaged in the workforce through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
“A critical part of the initiative is the Get Set for Work program, which will assist more than 2000 young people who have left school early or are in danger of falling into long-term unemployment, with an investment of $10.6 million,” he said.
“This program has proved immensely successful in helping young people with difficulties find jobs or training and get their lives back on track.
“In 2008-09 we expect more than 70 projects around the state to be funded.’’
Mr Mickel said the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative would be backed by more than $13.69 million from the Department of Education, Training and the Arts to deliver 806,300 hours of training for participants.
He said the success of the initiative was demonstrated by the fact that some 71 per cent of participants were either in work or training 12 months after completing employment assistance or work programs.
Media contacts: John Smith 3237 1944 or Shannon Mackay on 3237 1125
June 4, 2008