A Regional Employment Trials (RET) program to help job seekers in Townsville find work has been launched as part of the Federal Government’s North Queensland Together We’re Stronger project.
Member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson said the project would help develop and retain individuals who were the right fit for the aged-care sector.
“This is exactly the type of support people in the region need,” Mr Thompson said.
The North Queensland Together We’re Stronger project has received more than $150,000 in Federal Government funding and aims to assist 175 unemployed participants.
The project in Townsville – which is also running in Mt Isa – is supported by Aged and Community Services Australia and an Australian Government-funded North Queensland Employment Facilitator who works directly with stakeholders to assist employers and job seekers.
Federal Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Michaelia Cash said RET was an example of the Government actively addressing the needs of regional Australia and creating more job opportunities for locals.
“The project aims to support local unemployed people with a focus on employment in the aged-care sector,” Senator Cash said.
Through RET, $1 million is available in each of the 10 selected regions, providing grants of between $7,500 and $200,000 to support employment related projects that meet local needs.
The RET regions are: Northern Inland, NSW; Far South Coast, NSW; Melbourne, Victoria; Gippsland, Victoria; Townsville and North West, Queensland; Wide Bay Burnett, Queensland; Murraylands and Riverland, South Australia; Yorke and Mid- North, South Australia; Peel, Western Australia, and Northern Tasmania.
