Townsville jobseekers reach their goals

Fifty Townsville parents and carers will celebrate new directions in their lives when they graduate from a State Government employment program at Kelso tomorrow.

Over the past year the graduates, mostly from the Kelso-Rasmussen area, have taken part in the Skilling Parents and Carers for Employment project known as SPACE.

After many years out of the workforce more than half have already found jobs or are engaging in further courses.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the training, job preparation and work experience project received funding of $125,000 from the Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

“The Government is investing $80 million in Skilling Queenslanders for Work during 2008/09 to give an estimated 15,000 long-term unemployed and underemployed people job-related assistance and skills training,” Mr Mickel said.

Member for Thuringowa Craig Wallace said projects such as SPACE worked on many levels.

“They increase the skills, confidence, life opportunities and job chances of individuals, and ultimately maximise labour force participation; all of which increase Queensland's prosperity,” Mr Wallace said.

The SPACE project was run by the Twin Rivers Progress Association because employment and training services were limited in the Upper Ross area.

Project Co-ordinator Toni Crosbie said long-term unemployed people and parents and carers often lacked sufficient confidence to access such services.

“Our centre ran a range of social activities that enticed local jobseekers to participate and in turn they became interested in trying the employment and training services we offered,” Ms Crosbie said.

“The project has been tremendously successful in giving these people new hope and motivation.”

“Approximately 30 jobseekers are moving into jobs and others are eagerly continuing their education.

“Out of the entire group three are now studying for their Certificate III in Children’s Services, another is undertaking a course to become a Teacher Aide, two are doing pre-vocational mechanics, three are undertaking courses to work with people with alcohol and drug problems and two are enrolled in university courses for next year.

“It is particularly pleasing that there has been an increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing the program this year and moving into employment or further training.”

The Progress Association partnered with the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE to deliver a range of accredited and non-accredited 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.

Across Queensland 71 per cent of participants gain emplyment 12 months after receiving employment and training assistance through the initiative.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work also supports the Government’s Toward Q2 vision of a stronger and fairer Queensland.

For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.

Tomorrow’s graduation will take place at Twin Rivers Progress Association,

1326 Riverway Drive, Kelso from 10.30 am to 12 noon.

Organisation Contact: Toni Crosbie on 4789 3766

Ministerial Contact: David Robertson on 3235 4060

December 4, 2008