The Morrison Government’s Regional Employment Trial program has been extended for 12 months to allow existing projects affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to be completed.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the impact on the program has been significant, including the suspension of a large number of regional employment trial projects to ensure the health and safety of all participants.
“The regional employment trial program supports communities to design and implement solutions to local employment issues,” Minister Cash said.
“The extension will allow the program to run until 30 June 2021, allowing a number of projects interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic to be completed.”
As at 19 June 2020, 106 regional employment trial projects have been approved for delivery totalling around $9.8 million in funding.
The regional employment trial projects have been achieving great results for communities across Australia.
“In the Gippsland region, 32 participants have completed a pre-employment program including work experience and as a result have found ongoing employment in the construction and manufacturing industries,” Minister Cash said.
“And in the Murraylands region, 51 participants completed an employment pathway program. They developed skills operating a forklift and received their White Card and first-aid accreditations.”
Regional employment trial regions are:
- Northern Inland RDA region, NSW
- Far South Coast RDA region, NSW
- Melbourne (Western Melbourne/North Western Melbourne Employment Regions only), VIC
- Gippsland RDA region, VIC
- Townsville and North West (Townsville Employment Region only), QLD
- Wide Bay Burnett RDA region, QLD
- Murraylands and Riverland RDA region, SA
- Yorke and Mid North RDA region, SA
- Peel RDA region, WA
- Tasmania (North and North Western Tasmania Employment Region only), TAS.
For more information about the regional employment trials visit: www.employment.gov.au/regional-employment-trials-program
"13105": [
"Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business"
]
}