Toowoomba jobseekers earn new skills
Member for Toowoomba North Trevor Watts MP congratulates six Toowoomba men on graduating from a Queensland Government funded training and employment project. These men have struggled for some time to find ongoing employment however this employment project has given these men new skills, confidence, hope and contacts to allow them to search for full time employment.
Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek congratulated the men on persevering with their efforts to move into the workforce.
“These men faced an uphill battle in their job search efforts, and the longer unemployment continues the harder it is to break out of,” Mr Langbroek said.
“The recycling project being run by Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland Ltd provided them with the opportunity to earn an income for 16 weeks and develop a range of skills that are transferable to a number of employment sectors, including logistics and warehousing.
“The work they’ve been doing has not only boosted their skills and confidence but it has put them in touch with new contacts, all of which will place them in a much better position for their job search.”
The project was funded through the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
Employment Programs for Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Queensland Manager Angela Klein, said four of the men had been employed at the Lifeline Distribution Centre and two at the Smart Tip Shop.
“They’ve undertaken a wide range of tasks, including the identification of items for recycling, resale or restoration, use of cash registers, customer service, yard maintenance, forklift operations, warehousing duties, categorisation, and baling clothing,” Ms Klein said.
“We achieved excellent employment outcomes for participants in earlier projects of this nature and we’ll provide ongoing support to today’s graduands to help them find jobs.
“They have shown they are willing to turn up to work each day and put in a great effort and that’s an attribute all employers look for.”
