- Published:
- Thursday 25 August 2022
The Andrews Labor Government is looking at more ways to boost employment opportunities in Gippsland bringing together businesses, employers and community groups.
The forum – hosted by Jobs Victoria – examined ways the Labor Government, local businesses and communities can work together to identify opportunities and develop new approaches to address workforce challenges.
Local employer Sherryll Ray, the owner of Noel’s Panel Works in Moe, shared her experience of working with Jobs Victoria to find the staff her business needed.
For Mrs. Ray, that involved hiring young man, Curtis Hood through Qualify Gippsland.
Through Jobs Victoria, the Government paid for the tools Mr. Hood needed to start his apprenticeship and an employer subsidy helped Mrs. Ray to install an additional spray booth for him to use.
The new addition to Mrs. Ray’s business has increased overall productivity, and most importantly, created secure employment for Mr. Hood.
Victoria’s labour market is the tightest it has been for a generation, highlighting the resilience of the economy. In July, the unemployment rate in Victoria fell to a new record low of 3.1 per cent and one third of all jobs created Australia-wide were in Victoria.
In Gippsland, young people aged 18-25 are overrepresented in unemployment figures, among those finding it most difficult to get work.
The Gippsland forum was one in a series of Jobs Victoria forums being held across the state. Feedback from the forums will inform future statewide and local employment strategies.
Jobs Victoria assists people looking for work and connects employers with the staff they need. It provides information, advice, and support in person, on the phone, and via the Jobs Victoria online hub.
For more information visit jobs.vic.gov.au or call the Jobs Victoria hotline on 1300 208 575.
Quote attributable to Minister for Employment Jaala Pulford
“We know there are challenges facing employers when it comes to finding the staff they need. At the same time, we know there are people looking for jobs or more hours.”
Quote attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“A forum like this creates new partnerships to better connect employers and people looking for work, so we can get more people into jobs and ease workforce shortages.”
Quote attributable to Noel’s Panel Works owner Sherryl Ray
“The support we’ve had from Jobs Victoria means we’ve got a worker who’s turning out to be a great tradesman, and a young man has been given an opportunity to complete an apprenticeship that will lead to a career.”