A new trial program which will help empower local communities to design and implement local solutions to unemployment in their regions commenced this week.
The Australian Government’s $18.4 million Regional Employment Trials program encourages local stakeholders to design solutions to local employment issues and runs until 30 June 2020.
The program recognises that partnering with local communities in designing employment solutions which reflect their local community’s own distinct needs can lead to stronger engagement and more effective employment outcomes.
Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations, the Hon Kelly O’Dwyer MP, said the Government recognises that some regions in Australia face unique challenges and require innovative and tailored solutions to local employment problems.
“I especially want to encourage industry to partner with the community to invest in low-skilled and untrained workers, and individuals who haven’t worked in a long time — to give more people an opportunity to become more productive and contribute to the economy,” Minister O’Dwyer said.
Under the program, trial regions will receive $1 million in grant funding, with local stakeholders able to apply for individual grants of between $7,500 and $200,000 for employment-related projects such as mentoring programs and the upskilling of local unemployed people to become more job ready.
Further information can be found at www.jobs.gov.au/ret