Indigenous Training Support Network

The State Government's Indigenous Employment Program has been expanded to give Queensland's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders access to the most extensive network of employment field officers in Australia.

Photo caption: Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel (front row 4th from the right) with Employment and Indigenous Initiatives General Manager Bernie Carlon (front row 3rd from the right) and Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officers and Managers.

Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel says additional staff were recently recruited by the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative, effectively doubling the number of Queensland's Indigenous field officers.

"This expansion is a significant step to address the continued high unemployment and skill training drop-out rate among Queensland's Indigenous people," Mr Mickel said.

"Queensland's mainstream unemployment rate is currently at 4 per cent, but the reality is that for indigenous people it's much higher.

"Indigenous unemployment is running at more than 14 per cent and if the dependence on the Commonwealth's Community Development Program scheme is removed the rate climbs to 45 per cent."

Employment and Indigenous Initiatives General Manager Bernie Carlon says the expanded program will help the Department tackle this problem.

"Our Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officers and Indigenous Employment and Training Managers will be working to bring the unemployment and drop-out rates down," he said.

"These staff members work in their own communities so they can create networks and spread understanding which Indigenous people can take advantage of.

"The expansion of this program means our services are available across the state, in every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander council area."

Mr Carlon says the 42 support officers work with Indigenous people to help them into employment, including apprenticeships, traineeships or further training.

One of the support officers is Rita Gutchen who assists five different communities on Cape York and Horn Island.

"My job is to increase the retention and completion rates of indigenous apprentices and trainees, and to also provide support to vocational students," Ms Gutchen said.

"The support can be simple day-to-day things like talking to them about their work duties, attendance, attitude to work and their roles and responsibilities. 

"It can also go further like talking to supervisors about them being culturally aware and understanding of cultural issues that may affect a person's attendance or performance.

"The role enables me to become involved and aware of other broader issues like social and youth matters that may impact upon the people in my region.

"I regularly meet with a number of my clients and their families outside of work and I believe that makes a personalised connection and I can then do more to help them complete their chosen vocational training."

Mr Carlon says the 12 Indigenous Employment and Training Managers perform a slightly different role.

"They broker local employment and training opportunities by coordinating Indigenous communities, government agencies, industry and the training sector.

"Together these Indigenous staff can make a significant impact on the employment future of Indigenous Queenslanders," he said.

"And they already have had significant results.

"In Bundaberg pre-2000 completion rates were 15 per cent below the state average, however since 2003 when a support officer was based in the community, rates climbed to twelve and a half per cent above the 2005 state average."

Under the expanded program 42 Indigenous Employment and Training Support Officers will be based in 28 localities throughout Queensland including:

• Nine in Far North Queensland (Cairns, Hopevale, Weipa, Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area)
• Nine in North Queensland (Townsville, Palm Island, Mount Isa, Doomadgee, Normanton)
• Six in Central Queensland (Rockhampton, Woorabinda, Emerald, Mackay)
• Five in Brisbane South and Gold Coast (Mount Gravatt, Logan, Gold Coast)
• Five in Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast (Nambour, Cherbourg/Kingaroy, Bundaberg, Maryborough)
• Four in South-West Queensland (Toowoomba, Roma, Ipswich)
• Four in Brisbane North (Lutwyche)

Twelve Indigenous Employment and Training Managers will also work in the following areas:

• Three in Far North Queensland (Cairns, Weipa, Torres Strait/ Northern Peninsula Area)
• Two in North Queensland (Townsville, Mount Isa)
• Two in Central Queensland (Rockhampton, Mackay)
• Two in South-West Queensland (Toowoomba, Ipswich)
• One in Brisbane South and Gold Coast (Mount Gravatt)
• One in Brisbane North (Lutwyche)
• One in Wide Bay/Sunshine Coast (Maryborough)

Together these Indigenous staff can make a significant impact on the employment future of Indigenous Queenslanders," said Mr Carlon.

Under Skilling Queenslanders for Work and its predecessor, the Breaking the Unemployment Cycle initiative, more than 16 000 Indigenous Queenslanders have been helped with jobs and training since 1998.

www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au
Indigenous Employment and Training Support 1300 369 925

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