Mature-age Hervey Bay jobseekers head for workforce

Eight mature-age Hervey Bay women who are eager to get back into the workforce have reached a milestone in their quest with their graduation from a Queensland Government-funded employment project tomorrow.

All of the women have been out of the paid workforce for at least a year, with some having spent many years at home caring for their children.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the graduates were among 40 Sunshine Coast and Hervey Bay residents who would benefit from State Government funding of $500,000 through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to Community Solutions Inc for local Work Placement projects.

“A key focus of the initiative is to help mature-age people update their skills and re-enter the workforce,” Mr Mickel said.

Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said the Government’s three-year $6 million Experience Pays Awareness Strategy also encouraged employers to recruit, retrain and retain people over the age of 45.

“This age-group is often an untapped resource that should be valued and they bring flexibility, reliability and invaluable life experience to the workforce,” Mr McNamara said.

Community Solutions Co-ordinator Nikki Kerr said the graduates had spent 14 weeks working with local host organisations in a range of administration roles as well as undertaking accredited training in business administration skills.

“The women became more confident while taking part in the program and it was a big relief and a pleasant surprise for some of them when they found skills coming back or that they had skills they weren’t aware of,” Ms Kerr said.

“We are confident their employment prospects are high, in some cases with the host organisations.”

The graduation will be held at 6/26 Taylor St, Pialba at 10am tomorrow (Wednesday December 3).

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 employment and training assistance 71 per cent of participants are in employment.

The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative and the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy are 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.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work supports the Government’s Towards Q2 vision of a strong and fair Queensland.

For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925 and for more information on the Experience Pays Awareness Strategy visit www.experiencepays.qld.gov.au or call 1800 630 647

Contact: Community Solutions Inc Coordinator Nikki Kerr on (07) 4128 3933 or n.kerr@community-solutions.com.au

Member for Hervey Bay contact: 4124 1386

Ministerial contact: David Robertson on 3237 8842

December 2, 2008