Noosa teens re-engage with their futures

A group of Noosa teenagers will tomorrow be able to celebrate the end of a year in which they emerged from uncertainty and disengagement to become young people with a sense of purpose career goals.

The group of 27 took part in a Get Set for Work program funded by the Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative and run by the Noosa Community Training Centre.

The project was so successful the centre’s staff are not certain how many will turn up to tomorrow’s end-of-year barbecue because the majority of now have jobs or are undertaking new courses.

The centre received $138,000 in Government funding for the year-long Worx4evry1 project which provides a safety net for 15 to 17 year-olds.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the project aims to re-engage youths in education or provide them with an appropriate pathway into employment.

“In 2008 more than 2000 young Queenslanders who left school early or were at risk of not completing Year 12 have benefited from the $10.6 million statewide Get Set for Work program,” Mr Mickel said.

“A recent survey of Get Set for Work jobseekers found more than 71 per cent were in work or study 12 months after leaving projects run under the program.”

Noosa Community Training Centre’s Manager Glenda Lane said three of the teenagers who participated in their Worx4evry1 project now had apprenticeships in the hospitality industry and another, who recently completed hospitality study modules, was likely to become an apprentice in the near future.

“Another member of the group is now in a carpentry apprenticeship, several are in retail, several have jobs in construction and others are doing courses in construction, retail or hospitality,” Ms Lane said.

“The project members spent varying amounts of time with us, depending on their individual needs and goals and undertook both accredited and non-accredited training.

“They learned how to set achievable goals for themselves and how to accomplish them, as well as resume writing skills and literacy and numeracy if needed.

“But we also ensured there were fun activities such as music, art, song writing and a hip-hop workshop.”

Tomorrow’s project celebration will be held at 6 Venture Drive, Noosaville from 10.30 am to 12 noon.

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 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.

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.

Organisation Contact: Glenda Lane on 5449 7700

Ministerial Contact: David Robertson on 3235 4060

December 9, 2008