Labor Will Have Young Unemployed Ready For Work

Media Release.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says the Labour Day weekend is a time to focus on the ongoing threat to jobs posed by the Newman Government.
Speaking at Labour Day celebrations, in Ipswich today (Saturday),  Ms Palaszczuk launched Labor’s new Ready for Work policy to ensure young unemployed Queenslanders were well prepared to face the job market.
“This week in State Parliament the Premier refused to rule out plans to see a further 66,000 government jobs evaporate over the next five years as government employees retire,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“This is on top of the 14,000 already cut and will happen despite his assurances in December of no more job losses."
“The Labor Party has and will continue to focus on jobs, job creation, and job security.”
Ms Palaszczuk said under the new Ready for Work policy Labor planned to ensure young job seekers had the skills to enter the job market."
“Young people need help to land a job and our initiative will help them by having the Ready for Work program delivered by school P&Cs or other community groups through a partnership with the state government,” she said.
“Community groups will be able to deliver evening or weekend courses of 6-8 weeks giving young people the practical tools they need to successfully seek work."
“Basics such as CV preparation, interview skills as well as practical assistance on how to apply for work, and employer expectations."
“Young people will also be assisted to access literacy and numeracy programs if required.”
Ms Palaszczuk said the new policy was in stark contrast to the Newman Government that had cut employment-related programs such as the highly successful Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
“Our Ready for Work policy will form part of the full Skilling Queenslanders for Work program which Labor has committed to restore,” she said.
“Skilling Queenslanders for Work returned almost eight times the value of every $1 it cost to run, it helped people get jobs, which helped governments avoid paying welfare and other support costs.”
Member for Bundamba, Jo-Ann Miller, said she was proud Ipswich had hosted the launch of such a significant policy initiative.
“Ipswich hosted our first Shadow Cabinet meeting after the 2012 election so I am please this significant policy has been launched here too,” Mrs Miller said.
“Ipswich people know how important jobs are to the local community and we have already felt the impacts of the mass sackings carried out by the Newman Government."
“Every day we see more evidence of how little the LNP is doing to create jobs. In fact in its first year the Newman Government has actively sought to put more people out of work."
“It promised to have us heading to a 4% jobless rate but we are now hovering around 6% unemployment across the state — a level not seen since the global financial crisis,” Mrs Miller said.
Ready for Work background information:

• The Ready for Work initiative will form part of the broader Skilling Queenslanders for Work program for which Labor has committed to restore annual funding of about $90 million cut last year by the LNP government. Before its scrapping independent consultants noted the SQW program returned almost $8 to the community for every $1 it cost to run.
• In Queensland (at February 2013), the unemployment rate among 15–19 year-olds not in full-time education was 21.1%. The participation rate is 78.7% for the same cohort.
• In Queensland (at February 2013), the unemployment rate among 20–24 year-olds not in full-time education was 10.8%. The participation rate is 85.8% for this cohort.
• Across Queensland, 26.4% of people 16–24 years-old have suffered from a mental disorder in the previous 12 months. This is the highest level of any age group. Within this group, the rates by gender are: male 22.8%, and female 30.1%.
• The national employment participation rate for persons with a disability aged between 15 and 24 is 58% compared with 72% among able-bodied people of the same age group.
• P&Cs and similar groups in Catholic and independent schools or other community organisations will find suitable people to deliver this program through Job Services Australia which has a data base of accredited job training providers. In addition, there are approximately 300 highly skilled TAFE teachers looking for employment as a result of the Newman Government TAFE cuts.
• Job seekers will not have to be on Newstart. This program has no connection to the payments or requirements of Newstart.  Young people wanting to improve their job prospects will find this user-friendly and easily accessible as it is based in their local schools or communities.
• Expressions of interest will be sought from P&Cs and community groups to match up areas of greatest need by using statistical youth unemployment rates from ABS Labour Force data.
• Some P&Cs already run adult education courses at night and on the weekends and have a co-ordinator to manage the enrolments and procurement of trainers.