work ready queensland: skilling queenslanders for work · brisbane, gold coast and the sunshine...

Work Ready Queensland:Skilling Queenslanders for Work

2 0 1 7 P O L I C Y D O C U M E N T

Putting Queenslanders First

Work Ready Queensland: Skilling Queenslanders for Work Work Ready Queensland: Skilling Queenslanders for Work2

Contents

Message from the Premier 3

Our Commitment 4

The Newman-Nicholls Legacy 5

The Palaszczuk 6 Government’s Record

Our Plans: Putting 8 Queenslanders First

Call: 07 3844 8101Mail: PO Box 5032, West End QLD 4101www.queenslandlabor.org

Annastacia PalaszczukPREMIER OF QUEENSLAND


Work Ready Queensland: Skilling Queenslanders for Work 3

Message from the PremierSince my government was elected in 2015, we have been committed to providing Queenslanders with the training and skills they need to get into the workforce, build a career and provide for themselves and their families.

My government is continuing to repair the damage done by the previous Newman-Nicholls Government to training and skills. As Treasurer, Tim Nicholls was the driving force behind the Newman-Nicholls Government’s cuts, sackings and closures in the important training and skills sector.

Since our election in 2015, my government has increased the training and skills budget from $554 million to nearly $615 million. Through our successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative we have ensured more than 11,000 people have a job.

Queensland needs a highly-skilled workforce to attract new industries and expand existing ones to create jobs into the future. Training and skills will remain a priority for a re-elected Palaszczuk Government.

Through our focus on training, skills, job growth and building confidence in the Queensland economy, we have created 122,500 jobs – more than four times the number of jobs created under the Newman-Nicholls Government. The state’s unemployment rate has also fallen from 6.6 per cent under Tim Nicholls to 5.9 per cent.

Our commitment to training, skills and jobs is delivering results and getting Queenslanders work ready for the future.

122,500NEW JOBS S INCE 2015

$615mTR AINING FUNDING


The Palaszczuk Government is committed to getting Queenslanders work ready through high-quality training and assisting jobseekers to gain employment.

A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will build on our strong training, skills and job-creation record by extending and boosting the highly-successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, to fund more apprenticeships and increase workforce participation.

Our CommitmentThe Skilling Queenslanders for Work program will be boosted by an additional $180 million over three years totalling $420 million by 2020-21. It will focus on areas of high youth unemployment and depressed local labour markets experiencing business closures and retrenchments. Through its targeted programs it will assist people facing barriers or challenges to their participation in skills development and the labour market.



The Newman- Nicholls LegacyThe previous Newman-Nicholls Government had only three policies when it came to training, skills and jobs in Queensland: cut, sack and sell.

They attacked the rights and conditions of working Queenslanders and oversaw skyrocketing unemployment.

Under Tim Nicholls as Treasurer, unemployment rose from 5.5 per cent to 6.6 per cent, and 30,000 more Queenslanders were thrown onto the unemployment queue. Under Tim Nicholls trend unemployment hit a peak of 6.7 per cent for four months in 2014.

The Newman-Nicholls Government had no plan for dealing with unemployment during their time in office, just a plan for selling off assets, sacking workers and cutting training programs.

They sacked 14,000 public sector workers in their first budget.

Tim Nicholls’ mass sackings slashed frontline services such as health, police and emergency services.

The Newman-Nicholls Government axed the highly-successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work program that was giving Queenslanders the chance to undertake training to get into work, even though a Deloitte report showed an economic return of nearly $8 for every dollar invested.

Skills and training were not protected from the Newman-Nicholls’ government-wide cuts with around 170 training and skills staff sacked from the Department of Education and Training.

More than 2,100 staff were sacked as part of the wave of cuts imposed on TAFE by the Newman-Nicholls Government.

TAFE Queensland’s funding was cut by around $63 million.

Under the Newman-Nicholls Government, TAFE lost control of its own facilities and equipment with the establishment of Queensland Training Asset Management Authority (QTAMA). They embarked on a campaign to sell off, or throw out TAFE equipment, and restricted the access of staff to TAFE campuses.

TAFE sites were sold off under the Newman-Nicholls Government. None of the funds from these sales were used to revitalise existing TAFE infrastructure.

As part of the Newman-Nicholls Government’s campaign to marginalise TAFE, Tim Nicholls closed TAFE campuses in Maryborough, Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. More sites were sold off, including two in South Brisbane, Mareeba, Springwood and Townsville. The funds from the sale of these sites were not used to revitalise existing TAFE infrastructure.

We now know there was an approved hit list for the disposal of other TAFE sites, and it is clear that the Newman-Nicholls Government had no plan to reinvest anything back into training.


The Palaszczuk Government’s RecordWhen the Palaszczuk Government was elected in 2015, we immediately began to restore the key frontline staff and programs that Tim Nicholls had cut.

We were determined to give Queenslanders access to the training and skills they needed to get into the workforce, build a career and provide for their family.

We recognised that Queensland needs a highly-skilled workforce to attract new industries and expand existing ones to create jobs into the future.

That’s why our government has consistently increased funding for the training and skills budget to reverse the damage done by the Newman-Nicholls Government, despite continued Federal LNP cuts and uncertainty. We have increased funding from $554 million in 2014 to nearly $615 million in 2017.

From 1 July 2015, we introduced a payroll tax rebate to make it more affordable for employers to hire an apprentice or trainee. This incentive has delivered up to $45 million in payroll tax rebates for employers of apprentices and trainees over three years.

To further enhance this incentive, the 25 per cent payroll tax rebate for employing apprentices or trainees was doubled to 50 per cent for the 2016–17 financial year for those employers in the state providing employment opportunities for apprentices or trainees. This 50 per cent rebate will continue in the 2017-18 financial year.

In the 2017-18 budget we introduced a WorkCover premium package that means that business will not pay a cent in WorkCover premiums on the apprentices they hire. This has the potential to save small businesses up to $5,800 a year, with total annual cost savings to Queensland businesses of up to $58.7 million.



Skilling Queenslanders for WorkThe Palaszczuk Government proudly re-introduced the successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, a $240 million job-creating initiative to provide support for more than 32,000 Queenslanders over four years.

The Skilling Queenslanders for Work program plays a critical role in increasing workforce participation and the overall performance of the Queensland economy by improving work opportunities for disadvantaged Queenslanders.

Since we have re-introduced the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program, we have invested in 942 projects worth over $158.1 million.

68 local councils, including 13 indigenous councils, have been provided with $7 million over 2015 and 2016 to employ 560 young people or disadvantaged jobseekers as trainees under the First Start program.

As at the end of September 2017, across Queensland, we have seen 17,703 people complete a training program under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work program. Of those, over 60 per cent or 11,017 people have gained employment, 2,732 have gone onto further training and 423 have returned to school.

By any measure the program has been a resounding success, giving tens of thousands of Queenslanders the chance to undertake training to get into work and build careers.

32,000DIRECTLY ASSISTED

$240mJOB CREATING

FUNDING

942PROJECTS

FUNDED


A re-elected Palaszczuk Government will build on its strong training, skills and job-creation record by getting Queenslanders work ready through the following initiatives:

Skilling Queenslanders for WorkThe highly-successful job creating Skilling Queenslanders for Work program will be extended and boosted by a re-elected Palaszczuk Government.

The program will be boosted by an additional $180 million over three years totalling $420 million by 2020-21.

The boosted program will focus on areas of high youth unemployment and depressed local labour markets experiencing business closures and retrenchments.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work represents our commitment to increasing workforce participation, driving job growth and strengthening the performance of the Queensland economy by improving work opportunities for disadvantaged Queenslanders.

Through a statewide regional network with community organisations and local employers determining local skills, entry-level industry and labour needs, Skilling Queenslanders for Work is delivering real results where they are needed most.

Our Plans: Putting Queenslanders First

$420mJ O B CR E ATI N G

FU N D I N G

U P TO

32,000D I R EC TLY A S S I STE D

$20,000YOUTH BOOST

FUNDING GRANT



Skilling Queenslanders for Work comprises a mix of targeted programs to assist people facing barriers or challenges to their participation in skills development and the labour market.

The boosted programs will include:

� Community Work Skills funding non-profit community organisations to deliver tailored assistance to disadvantaged Queenslanders to gain nationally-recognised skills and qualifications up to Certificate III level.

� Work Skills Traineeships funding community organisations and local councils to employ long-term unemployed and disadvantaged jobseekers to undertake community, public works and environmental projects through a Work Skills Traineeship. Additional funding will ensure long-term unemployed jobseekers aged 25 to 44 years and mature-age jobseekers aged 45 years and over are an ongoing priority.

� Get Set for Work funding community organisations to provide disengaged young people aged 15 to 19 years with nationally-recognised training combined with integrated learning support measures and core skills so they can successfully transition to employment or further education and training. Additional funding enables the program to expand and offer 10 to 15 extra projects (delivering an additional 500 training places statewide).

� Ready for Work funding community organisations and school P&Cs to deliver basic job preparation and employability skills over six to eight weeks to unemployed youth aged 15 to 24 years to get them ready for work.

� Youth Skills funding community organisations to assist 15 to 24 year olds engaged with Youth Justice Services and Queensland Corrective Services with nationally-recognised training and supporting them into employment or further training.

� Work Start providing a one-off financial incentive of $10,000 to eligible private sector employers (includes group training organisations and non-government organisations) who offer a traineeship or apprenticeship to individuals who have participated on Community Work Skills, Work Skills Traineeships, Get Set for Work, Ready for Work or Youth Skills projects.

A Youth Boost component of $20,000 is available if the former Skilling Queenslanders for Work participant is aged 15 to 24 years. The program complements the Back to Work employment support package and is only available to private sector employers ineligible for Back to Work.

� First Start providing wage subsidies to local councils and not-for-profit community-based organisations to employ additional trainees. The program offers opportunities to young people and disadvantaged jobseekers to gain nationally-recognised qualifications and 12 months employment by undertaking a traineeship. The program provides immediate job opportunities and encourages young people to remain in their local communities.


Skilling Queenslanders for Work - Outcomes by RegionCumulative SQW to date: 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2017

PROGRAMMETROPOLITAN SOUTH EAST NORTH COAST

JOBSFURTHER TRAINING

RETURN TO SCHOOL


RETURN TO SCHOOL


RETURN TO SCHOOL

Community Work Skills 1,138 209 N/A 1,284 202 N/A 1,230 347 N/A

Work Skills Traineeships 1,102 72 N/A 573 45 N/A 716 82 N/A

Get Set for Work 267 136 75 207 67 93 324 199 109

Ready for Work 295 120 N/A 213 148 N/A 198 113 N/A

Youth Skills 22 11 7 2 6 1 28 30 6

First Start - Councils 30 0 N/A 36 4 N/A 78 3 N/A

First Start - CBOs 51 0 N/A 19 0 N/A 12 0 N/A

TOTALS 2,905 548 82 2,334 472 94 2,586 774 115

PROGRAM

CENTRAL QLD DARLING DOWNS SOUTH WEST NORTH QLD


RETURN TO SCHOOL


RETURN TO SCHOOL


RETURN TO SCHOOL

Community Work Skills 369 76 N/A 201 51 N/A 339 60 N/A

Work Skills Traineeships 408 47 N/A 218 26 N/A 126 7 N/A

Get Set for Work 86 46 18 106 46 22 37 51 42

Ready for Work 118 127 N/A 96 44 N/A 52 50 N/A

Youth Skills 12 9 2 3 3 3 5 3 0

First Start - Councils 156 4 N/A 76 3 N/A 121 9 N/A

First Start - CBOs 7 0 N/A 14 0 N/A 1 0 N/A

TOTALS 1,156 309 20 714 173 25 681 180 42

PROGRAMFAR NORTH QLD TOTALS


RETURN TO SCHOOL


RETURN TO SCHOOL

Community Work Skills 304 146 N/A 4,865 1,091 N/A

Work Skills Traineeships 119 9 N/A 3,262 288 N/A

Get Set for Work 64 47 36 1,091 592 395

Ready for Work 89 61 N/A 1,061 663 N/A

Youth Skills 4 13 9 76 75 28

First Start - Councils 61 0 N/A 558 23 N/A

First Start - CBOs 0 0 N/A 104 0 N/A

TOTALS 641 276 45 11,017 2,732 423

Notes:1. Jobs for Community

Work Skills, Get Set for Work, Ready for Work and Youth Skills based on exited data - particpants have exited a project and gained a job

2. First Start and Work Skills Traineeships counted as direct job outcomes - participants are employed as trainees from day one

Work Ready Queensland: Skilling Queenslanders for Work

Call: 07 3844 8101 | Mail: PO Box 5032, West End QLD 4101 | www.queenslandlabor.org

www.facebook.com/APalaszczukMP twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP www.instagram.com/annastaciamp

work ready queensland: skilling queenslanders for work · brisbane, gold coast and the sunshine...

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