Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson, Max Solutions Work for the Dole coordinator Julie Penney and Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz, at Woolmers, near Longford.
Work for the Dole is a key focus of the Federal Government’s plan to help create jobs and boost workforce participation ahead of a national rollout of the program from July 1 this year.
Federal Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson today met with participants and host organisations at two Work for the Dole projects – Woolmers Estate and Redwater Creek Steam & Heritage Society.
“The Government has done a great deal since its election in September 2013 to practically encourage job seekers to find work and employers to take on workers,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“Work for the Dole gives job seekers the skills and experience employers are looking for, and today I’ve seen firsthand how the programme can help people build the skills they need to find jobs and leave welfare behind.”
“I was pleased that the Minister for Employment Senator Eric Abetz was able to view first-hand the fantastic work which is happening here at Woolmers Esate and Redwater Creek,” Mr Hutchinson said.
Mr Hutchinson said at Woolmers Estate, participants are helping restore a genuine depiction of colonial life by working on a variety of maintenance and development projects.”
“The Redwater Creek Steam & Heritage Society provides work-like experiences in building, equipment maintenance and restoration of the Sheffield Jail, a heritage timber building,” he said.
This includes painting, restoration of museum items, track maintenance, gardening and landscaping.
“As I visit Work for the Dole projects, the feedback I receive is overwhelmingly positive – from both the participants and the host organisations,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“Young people taking part in these initiatives are learning valuable ‘soft’ skills such as teamwork, punctuality and application – traits that leave them better placed to find paid work.”
More than 10,800 people have taken part in the reinvigorated Work for the Dole scheme since it started in the 18 selected regions on July 1 last year, including a number of sites in Tasmania.
“I expect this encouraging level of involvement to be significantly boosted when the scheme is expanded across the country from July 1 this year,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“Work for the Dole is helping job seekers become work-ready at the same time as they give something back to their local community.
“As well as providing workers and their families with an income, steady employment provides a number of social and economic benefits that flow on to local communities.”
Other employment programs include:
• Tasmanian Jobs Program — this offers an incentive to employers that provide full-time, ongoing work to eligible job seekers in Tasmania;
• Relocation Assistance to Take Up a Job — providing financial support to job seekers who move to take up work;
• Job Commitment Bonus — rewarding young, previously long-term unemployed people who find and keep jobs; and
• Employment Services 2015–2020 — this new, $5.1 billion employment services system starts on July 1. The system is more efficient and effective and will better meet the needs of job seekers, employers and providers.
Further information about Government employment programmes and initiatives can be found at www.employment.gov.au
Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson, Max Solutions Work for the Dole coordinator Julie Penney and Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz
