Nineteen jobseekers from the Nambour area have completed two Queensland Government funded projects aimed at increasing their employability.
Minister for Employment, Skills and Mining Stirling Hinchliffe said graduation ceremonies would be held tomorrow for a Green Army project co-ordinated by Maroochy Waterwatch and a Getting Work Ready project managed by Church of Christ Nambour.
“Maroochy Waterwatch received $196,880 under the State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to deliver a 22-week Green Army work placement project focussing on revegetation and nursery work along the Maroochy River,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“Eight of the ten graduates from the project, Connecting Riparian Corridors in the Maroochy Catchment, will attend tomorrow morning’s graduation ceremony as two participants have since obtained full-time employment.”
Maroochy Waterwatch Chief Executive Officer Cerran Fawns said the ten project participants had previously been unemployed or were recently retrenched or displaced due to the floods.
“They are certainly job ready now. Participants gained skills in plant identification, site preparation, planting techniques, herbicide application, seed collection and propagation, nursery operation and maintenance, natural resource management techniques and water quality testing,” Mr Fawns said.
“Training was provided also in public speaking, interviewing, job search, teamwork and project management. All participants completed their chemical spray license, chainsaw operation level 1 license, a Speechcraft course and Senior First Aid.
Mr Hinchliffe said the Church of Christ Nambour’s Solutions Adult Learning Centre had received $53,090 under the State Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to deliver training to 20 jobseekers through the Getting Work Ready project.
“Nine participants from the third intake of this project will graduate tomorrow afternoon with three having already obtained employment.”
Solutions Adult Learning Centre Manager Di Cummings said the Getting Work Ready graduating group consisted of mature jobseekers, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who were vulnerable due to technological change or industry restructure.
“Each attended four days of training over 10 weeks. This included two days of accredited training which enabled participants to complete their Certificate I in Business, and two days of non accredited training and job search assistance,” Ms Cummings said.
“The project increased confidence in participants and provided them with a sense of inclusion. All became very supportive of each other.”
Queensland’s Green Army is a three-year $57 million program to create 3000 jobs. An additional $17 million has been provided under the joint State and Federal Governments Queensland Natural Disasters Jobs and Skills Package to create another 1100 jobs. For more information or to check your eligibility and register your interest in joining a project visit www.greenarmy.qld.gov.au
Queensland’s Green Army is part of the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
During 2010/11 the Queensland Government invested $106 million in the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to give an estimated 24,000 long-term unemployed and underemployed people job related assistance and skills training.
For more information on the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative visit www.employment.qld.gov.au or call 1300 369 925.
