Published Thursday, 11 December, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
New skills will come in handy for Brisbane jobseekers
A graduation in Wilston today marked an important step for 42 people with intellectual disabilities looking for jobs and more responsibilities.
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel said the group completed HANDS UP, an employment project organised by Centacare HAND.
“The State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative provided $59,940 for this year-long training project,” Mr Mickel said.
“Participants completed a variety of training and improved their life skills which they can build on in the future.
“Participants are more confident, motivated and are ready to chase their next goals on the way to finding jobs.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Gary Fenlon spoke at the graduation, held at
Member for Brisbane Central Grace Grace said the staff at Centacare HAND offer valuable assistance and support to people with intellectual disabilities.
“Through the effort participants have put into the HANDS UP project they are ready for the next step to build up their skills,” Ms Grace said.
Centacare HAND Centre Manager Karen Martin said some of the participants have already taken on volunteer work which will give them workplace experience.
“We will keep working with all the participants graduating today until they are ready to move into paid jobs,” Ms Martin said.
“They’ve already achieved a lot – HANDS UP covered literacy and numeracy, using a computer, following recipes, independent living skills and more.
“These are skills that participants will build on and it can be a long process. Some of our past participants started out learning the road rules with us and went on to earn their driver’s licence.”
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
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.
Skilling Queenslanders for Work supports the Government’s Toward Q2 vision for a stronger and fairer
The Graduation will take place at 2:00pm Centacare HAND,
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.
Contact: Centacare HAND Centre Manager Karen Martin on 3856 0281 or k.martin@hand.org.au
Member for
Ministerial Contact: David Robertson on 3235 4060
December 11, 2008