Published Tuesday, 02 September, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
Putting people into work in Bundaberg
The Bundaberg workforce is to get 25 local job-ready and enthusiastic workers when participants from two employment projects graduate tomorrow with accredited training, work experience and a positive attitude toward the workforce.
The projects have been funded a total of $189,420 contributed by the Queensland Government under the Skilling Queenslander for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the ‘Skilling for the Bundaberg Workforce’ and ‘Learning Together and Making it Happen’ projects have been a great learning curve for participants, 14 of whom come from an Indigenous and Australian South Sea Islander background.
“These projects have put participants in a good position for applying for work in the aged care and business administration industries,” Mr Mickel said.
“Projects like these are a unique opportunity for disadvantaged jobseekers to gain skills and overcome personal barriers previously hindering success in the workforce.
“They also provide vital industries with local, skilled and job-ready workers easing pressures on labour and skills shortages.
“Fourteen participants will be graduating today from 16 weeks of accredited training in a Certificate III in Aged Care Work which included a two-week industry placement in addition to job preparation activities focused on communication, team work, problem solving, organisation and technology.
“The other 14 Indigenous participants have spent six months developing useful workplace skills and leave here today with accredited training in Business Administration.”
IMPACT Make Your Mark Program Manager Joan Graham-Jones said seven Indigenous participants completed paid work placements hosted by local organisations including Bundaberg PCYC, Salvation Army - Tom Quinn Community Centre, Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre, Bundaberg Women’s Aboriginal Corp. and Together Women in Networking Services.
“Work placements are an effective way of giving participants on-the-job skills as well as an insight into a real work environment including work and behavioural expectations,” Ms Graham-Jones said.
“The placements have allowed participants to undertake duties including typing, data entry, processing orders, filing, receipting and banking, mail processing, photocopying and attending to telephone calls.
“At least eight participants have been offered ongoing employment with their host employer Tri-Care, Pioneer Lodge and Gardens, Riverlea and an Indigenous participant has secured full-time work on a 12 month contract which he is over the moon about.”
The Skilling for the Bundaberg Workplace and Learning Together Making it Happen graduations will take place consecutively from 10am and 12noon respectively on Wednesday 3 September in the IMPACT Function Room, 106-108 Bargara Road, Bundaberg.
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.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative 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: IMPACT Make Your Mark Programs Manager
Joan Graham-Jones on 4153 4233 or jgraham-jones@impact.org.au
Ministerial contact: Nathan Moir on 3235 4060
September 2, 2008
The projects have been funded a total of $189,420 contributed by the Queensland Government under the Skilling Queenslander for Work initiative.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the ‘Skilling for the Bundaberg Workforce’ and ‘Learning Together and Making it Happen’ projects have been a great learning curve for participants, 14 of whom come from an Indigenous and Australian South Sea Islander background.
“These projects have put participants in a good position for applying for work in the aged care and business administration industries,” Mr Mickel said.
“Projects like these are a unique opportunity for disadvantaged jobseekers to gain skills and overcome personal barriers previously hindering success in the workforce.
“They also provide vital industries with local, skilled and job-ready workers easing pressures on labour and skills shortages.
“Fourteen participants will be graduating today from 16 weeks of accredited training in a Certificate III in Aged Care Work which included a two-week industry placement in addition to job preparation activities focused on communication, team work, problem solving, organisation and technology.
“The other 14 Indigenous participants have spent six months developing useful workplace skills and leave here today with accredited training in Business Administration.”
IMPACT Make Your Mark Program Manager Joan Graham-Jones said seven Indigenous participants completed paid work placements hosted by local organisations including Bundaberg PCYC, Salvation Army - Tom Quinn Community Centre, Bundaberg Neighbourhood Centre, Bundaberg Women’s Aboriginal Corp. and Together Women in Networking Services.
“Work placements are an effective way of giving participants on-the-job skills as well as an insight into a real work environment including work and behavioural expectations,” Ms Graham-Jones said.
“The placements have allowed participants to undertake duties including typing, data entry, processing orders, filing, receipting and banking, mail processing, photocopying and attending to telephone calls.
“At least eight participants have been offered ongoing employment with their host employer Tri-Care, Pioneer Lodge and Gardens, Riverlea and an Indigenous participant has secured full-time work on a 12 month contract which he is over the moon about.”
The Skilling for the Bundaberg Workplace and Learning Together Making it Happen graduations will take place consecutively from 10am and 12noon respectively on Wednesday 3 September in the IMPACT Function Room, 106-108 Bargara Road, Bundaberg.
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.
The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative 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: IMPACT Make Your Mark Programs Manager
Joan Graham-Jones on 4153 4233 or jgraham-jones@impact.org.au
Ministerial contact: Nathan Moir on 3235 4060
September 2, 2008