Government Information on Building Skills and Finding Work​ | NECA

News & Views

3rd September 2020

Government Information on Building Skills and Finding Work​

Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business
Senator for Western Australia

28 August 2020

INFORMATION TO FIND A JOB AND BUILD SKILLS

It has been a difficult time for many across Australia due to the health restrictions and significant economic shock caused by COVID-19. The damage caused by COVID-19 is on a scale that many have not seen in their lifetime.

As a Government, our priority is to get Australia's economy back to growth and re-open in a COVID-Safe way which will ensure we can get Australians back into work. The Morrison Government has a range of initiatives to assist people in finding work and upskilling or reskilling. 

For ease of access I have put them into five categories below: 

HELP TO FIND A JOB.. 1

STARTING A BUSINESS. 1

SUPPORT FOR MATURE AGE JOB SEEKERS. 1

ONLINE RESOURCES. 1

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING.. 1

 

HELP TO FIND A JOB

Jobs Hub

The Jobs Hub is a new platform to connect people looking for work with businesses who are hiring. To find what is available in your area visit dese.gov.au/covid-19/jobs-hub.

Harvest Trail Services

If you are looking for seasonal work in the harvest industries a Harvest Trail Service Provider can connect you to employers, growers and farmers needing seasonal workers. For more information visit jobsearch.gov.au/harvest or call the Harvest Trail Information Service on 1800 062 332, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 8:00pm. 

Jobactive 

Jobactive is the Government's national employment service, with both an online service and a national network of private and community organisation operating in approximately 1,700 locations across Australia. Jobactive providers can help you write a résumé, look for work, prepare for interviews, get skills that local employers need, and find and keep a job. For more information about jobactive helping you find work visit employment.gov.au/i-want-job.

Youth Jobs PaTH

The youth jobs PaTH program helps young people aged 15 to 24 years to get the right skills and experience to ready them for a job. PaTH has three elements: 

  • Prepare—receive government funded training to develop your work skills.
  • Trial— participate in a voluntary internship for 4–12 weeks to get the experience and skills you need. Receive an extra payment while you’re doing your internship.
  • Hire—if your employer hires you in an ongoing job, they may be able to receive a Youth Bonus wage subsidy of up to $10,000.

For more information on PaTH visit www.jobactive.gov.au/Path.

 

STARTING A BUSINESS

New Business Assistance with NEIS
If you are not in employment, education or training and are interested in running your own business, you may be eligible for New Business Assistance with NEIS. For more information visit employment.gov.au/self-employment-new-business-assistance-neis.

Entrepreneurship Facilitators
Entrepreneurship Facilitators provide practical assistance to support and encourage you to start a business as a way to create your own job. For more information visit employment.gov.au/entrepreneurship-facilitators.

SelfStart
SelfStart supports you through the first stages of starting your own business. From planning, validating their idea, finding local support, through to perfecting your pitch. For more information, visit https://jobsearch.gov.au/selfstart.

 

SUPPORT FOR MATURE AGE JOB SEEKERS

Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers and Skills and Training Incentive
Skills Checkpoint for Older Workers offer career advice and assessment for older workers on transitioning to new roles within their current industry or finding pathways to a new career, including referrals to relevant education and training options. For more information visit employment.gov.au/skillscheckpointprogram.

Skills and Training Incentive
The Skills and Training incentive provides up to $2,200 to help older workers build skills to remain in the workforce longer. For more information visit employment.gov.au/skills-and-training-incentive.

Career Transition Assistance 
The Career Transition Assistance program helps people aged 45 years and older to increase their employability and become more competitive in the local labour market. Participants are provided with practical assistance to build the skills employers are looking for by:

  • Updating and tailoring job applications to apply for a range of different jobs.
  • Identifying their transferable skills and better targeting their job search to local industries and available jobs.
  • Building confidence and knowledge with the use of everyday technology.
  • learn resilience strategies and improve confidence.

For more information visit www.dese.gov.au/career-transition-assistance.

 

ONLINE RESOURCES

Job Outlook and Skills Match Tool
Job Outlook makes it easy to find and understand career information. Use the career profiles on Job Outlook to learn about the future outlook, pay, main tasks, and physical and other demands of careers that interest you. Find out about the skills, knowledge and abilities you may need to get and keep a job. The Skills Match will show you jobs or careers that use your skills and is located on the Job Outlook website. For more information visit Joboutlook.gov.au.

Australian Jobs
The Australian Jobs publication is an easy to follow guide to the Australian labour market. It includes information about industries and occupations as well as states, territories and regions. The publication highlights trends in the Australian labour market and provides guidance about job search and the skills employers value https://www.employment.gov.au/australian-jobs-publication.

 

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The national vocational education and training (VET) system ensures Australians can get the skills they need to succeed in their careers. For more information on VET opportunities, including courses and training providers, visit www.myskills.gov.au.

JobTrainer Fund
The JobTrainer Fund will provide up to 340,000 free or low fee training places, for job seekers and school leavers in areas of identified skills need. We expect that training places will be available from September and October 2020, depending on the state or territory you live in. Course details and information on how to access training will be available on www.myskills.gov.au.

National Careers Institute
The National Careers Institute provides up-to-date career information to help you make effective decisions about your learning, training and work pathways, at all ages and stages of your career. It also shows the excellent career opportunities available through VET. To find more information on learning and training, getting job ready, career ideas and useful resources, visit www.nci.dese.gov.au.

Skills for Education and Employment Program
The Skills for Education and Employment Program can help you improve your reading, writing and maths skills to help you find a job. It is for people who are unemployed and registered as a job seeker with Services Australia. You can get up to 650 hours of free training doing full-time or part-time hours, face-to-face or distance training. For more information visit www.employment.gov.au/skills-education-and-employment.

Foundation Skills for Your Future Program
The Foundation Skills program helps you to improve your oral communication, reading, writing, maths and digital skills. The program is flexible to support your needs. It is for people in employment or anyone who is recently unemployed. For further information visit www.employment.gov.au/foundation-skills-your-future-program.

Australian Apprenticeship Support Network
The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network (AASN) helps apprentices, trainees and their employers connect to government support services. If you are thinking about starting an apprenticeship or traineeship talk to an AASN who will:

  • Explain how apprenticeships and traineeships work, roles and responsibilities.
  • Help you find an employer and registered training organisation to complete training.
  • Help manage a training contract between you and your employer.
  • Assess your eligibility for a Trade Support Loan and other payments and process these for you.
  • Provide advice and support throughout your apprenticeship or traineeship.

For more information and to find your local AASN provider visit www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au.

 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES

Financial assistance can help Australian apprentices with the costs of doing an apprenticeship or traineeship. You may be eligible for two payments.

  • The Additional Identified Skills Shortage payment (AISS)
  • The Living Away from Home Allowance (LAFHA).

The AISS payment encourages new workers, school leavers and young people to become an apprentice in jobs where there are skill shortages. The LAFHA is available in the first three years of your apprenticeship if you have to move away from your parent’s or guardian’s home in order to take up or remain in an apprenticeship. You may be eligible for up to twelve months of LAFHA each year for three years of your apprenticeship. For more information visit www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au.

Trade Support Loans
If you are an Australian apprentice or trainee working in an identified skills need area, you may be eligible for a Trade Support Loan (TSL) to help cover the costs of living and learning. A TSL is an interest-free loan from the government paid in monthly instalments for up to six months at a time.The loan arrangements are flexible – you can choose to borrow just a small amount over a few months or receive payments over the four years of the apprenticeship. For further information visit www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au.

Commonwealth Scholarships Program for Young Australians
Scholarships are available for young people aged 15–24 who live in certain regions to do vocational education and training courses — Certificate III to Advanced Diploma level. You can get hands-on work experience directly linked to your study when you complete a paid, twenty-day internship placement with a local business. The Commonwealth Scholarship Program is open to young people aged 15-24 years who live in an eligible region:

  • Gosford and Grafton, New South Wales
  • Maryborough and Townsville, Queensland
  • Alice Springs, Northern Territory
  • Wanneroo and Armadale, Western Australia
  • Port Pirie, South Australia 
  • Shepparton, Victoria
  • Burnie, Tasmania.  

For more information, visit the BUSY At Work website: www.busyatwork.com.au/scholarship-program-for-young-australians.

State and Territory government VET programs
State and Territory governments also provide a range of training subsidies and support services for their residents. For more information visit:

South Australia

Skilled Careers: www.skills.sa.gov.au

Northern Territory

Vocational Education and Training NT: www.vet.nt.gov.au