Published Wednesday, 23 July, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
$392,420 more assistance for Mackay jobseekers
A new employment project will assist 50 Mackay jobseekers to rejoin the workforce, including 20 people who will be selected to complete paid work placements.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said improving the skill sets of unemployed people is a valuable goal.
“With unemployment at 3.8 per cent and the booming mining industry keeping the demand for workers and skills high, assisting people who are outside the workforce to find jobs helps keep our economy growing,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is providing $392,420 to Skills Training Mackay to organise the Community Improvement Project 2008-2009.
“The 16-week paid work placements will be a big help for long-term unemployed people who don’t have recent workplace experience which can affect their chances of finding work and their self-confidence.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations Gary Fenlon announced the new project today when visiting participants of the Mackay District Parents and Carers project, which also is being coordinated by Skills Training Mackay.
“This project is providing childcare support, accredited training covering the senior First Aid Certificate and modules from the Certificate I in Business and tips on finding a good work/life balance,” Mr Fenlon said.
“This is the first group to join this project which will help 50 parents and carers prepare for the demands and expectations of starting new jobs.
“Meeting these people shows employment projects like these are just as important in the good times, when we are aiming to lift workforce participation, as they are in the harder times when we must tackle unemployment.
“The Mackay District Parents and Carers project addresses issues like time management and budgeting which can limit the employment options available to parents and carers as well as the skills and abilities they can offer employers.
“Parents and carers are just one group who can need some assistance to join the workforce and the Community Improvement Project aims to assist people who have been unemployed for more than 12 months.”
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said these two projects, and the many others that Skills Training Mackay has run with State Government funding since 1999, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to training and assisting unemployed people in the area into the workforce.
“In March this year the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations estimated Mackay had an unemployment rate of 2.9 per cent which shows the strong demand for workers here and in the Bowen Basin.
“That number is good news for many people but we must remember there are still many people in our communities who haven’t been able to find work, or haven’t been looking for work, at a time when businesses and industries need to find more skills and labour.
“These two projects will assist a total of 100 people to take control of their future by helping them step into the jobs market confident in their abilities.”
Skills Training Mackay Association General Manager Greg Sutherland said paid work placements are a fantastic opportunity for unemployed people to earn some money while they develop their skills.
“Ten of the participants in the new project will be working with us on concreting and construction projects for the Mackay Regional Council,” Mr Sutherland said.
“These participants will be working on the Harney Street drains, Theo Hansen Park and stage 1 of the Pathway Project with Mackay Regional Council supplying the materials and equipment,” Mr Sutherland said.
“Not-for-profit community organisations will host the second group of paid work placements, which will focus more on administration duties.
“Central Queensland Institute of TAFE are providing $55,040 for participants’ accredited training which includes modules from the Certificate I and II in Business and construction blue cards.”
During 2008/09 the Queensland Government will invest $80 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 15,000 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 assistance 71 per cent of participants are in employment or further training.
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: Skills Training Mackay Association General Manager Greg Sutherland on
4963 2700 or gm@skillstm.com.au
Member for Mackay contact: 4957 8422
Ministerial contact: Nathan Moir on 3235 4060
July 23, 2008
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel and Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said improving the skill sets of unemployed people is a valuable goal.
“With unemployment at 3.8 per cent and the booming mining industry keeping the demand for workers and skills high, assisting people who are outside the workforce to find jobs helps keep our economy growing,” Mr Mickel said.
“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is providing $392,420 to Skills Training Mackay to organise the Community Improvement Project 2008-2009.
“The 16-week paid work placements will be a big help for long-term unemployed people who don’t have recent workplace experience which can affect their chances of finding work and their self-confidence.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations Gary Fenlon announced the new project today when visiting participants of the Mackay District Parents and Carers project, which also is being coordinated by Skills Training Mackay.
“This project is providing childcare support, accredited training covering the senior First Aid Certificate and modules from the Certificate I in Business and tips on finding a good work/life balance,” Mr Fenlon said.
“This is the first group to join this project which will help 50 parents and carers prepare for the demands and expectations of starting new jobs.
“Meeting these people shows employment projects like these are just as important in the good times, when we are aiming to lift workforce participation, as they are in the harder times when we must tackle unemployment.
“The Mackay District Parents and Carers project addresses issues like time management and budgeting which can limit the employment options available to parents and carers as well as the skills and abilities they can offer employers.
“Parents and carers are just one group who can need some assistance to join the workforce and the Community Improvement Project aims to assist people who have been unemployed for more than 12 months.”
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said these two projects, and the many others that Skills Training Mackay has run with State Government funding since 1999, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to training and assisting unemployed people in the area into the workforce.
“In March this year the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations estimated Mackay had an unemployment rate of 2.9 per cent which shows the strong demand for workers here and in the Bowen Basin.
“That number is good news for many people but we must remember there are still many people in our communities who haven’t been able to find work, or haven’t been looking for work, at a time when businesses and industries need to find more skills and labour.
“These two projects will assist a total of 100 people to take control of their future by helping them step into the jobs market confident in their abilities.”
Skills Training Mackay Association General Manager Greg Sutherland said paid work placements are a fantastic opportunity for unemployed people to earn some money while they develop their skills.
“Ten of the participants in the new project will be working with us on concreting and construction projects for the Mackay Regional Council,” Mr Sutherland said.
“These participants will be working on the Harney Street drains, Theo Hansen Park and stage 1 of the Pathway Project with Mackay Regional Council supplying the materials and equipment,” Mr Sutherland said.
“Not-for-profit community organisations will host the second group of paid work placements, which will focus more on administration duties.
“Central Queensland Institute of TAFE are providing $55,040 for participants’ accredited training which includes modules from the Certificate I and II in Business and construction blue cards.”
During 2008/09 the Queensland Government will invest $80 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 15,000 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 assistance 71 per cent of participants are in employment or further training.
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: Skills Training Mackay Association General Manager Greg Sutherland on
4963 2700 or gm@skillstm.com.au
Member for Mackay contact: 4957 8422
Ministerial contact: Nathan Moir on 3235 4060
July 23, 2008