Supporting business and growing the economy is the focus of the Territory Labor Government’s investment of $12.8million to fill critical skill shortages. The centrepiece of this program is the Work Stay Play initiative which has already helped bring over 700 workers to the Territory.
This highly popular program resumed last month and enables local businesses to apply for a one-off payment of $1,000 for each employee, for a maximum of 20 new workers. It is open to all industries.
Also included in the $12.8million package is a Global Worker Attraction Program ($1.5million) which will deliver targeted marketing campaigns over the next 3 years, and a boost to the Territory’s Skilled Migration Strategy of $1.35million.
The Territory Workforce Advisory Group has been established to provide direction to NT worker attraction and includes industry heavyweights and experts including:
– Tom Vincent (Managing Director, Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage Pty Ltd),
– Steve Margetic (Managing Director, Sitzler),
– Connie Jape (Director Sales and Marketing, Jape Group International),
– Wendy Morton (Community Housing Registrar for the NT),
– Katy Jackson (Director of Human Resources NT, Hilton),
– Professor Scott Bowman (Vice Chancellor and President, Charles Darwin University) and Jason Jones (Director, Rusca Developments).
The group – set to meet again in June – is providing strategic advice to government to address skill shortages, as well as provide oversight for projects to be funded through the $3 million Flexible Workforce Initiative Fund.
This important suite of initiatives – together with our existing commitment of $85million to training Territorians each year – will see an influx of skilled workers not only in the coming high season months, but also in the years to follow.
Businesses must be registered to participate in the Work Stay Play program with registrations now open.
