Government delivers jobs in 2018-19

Almost 8,700 Queenslanders secured a job last financial year thanks to just two Palaszczuk Government programs.

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Shannon Fentiman released the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s Annual Report 2018-19 today.

“Today’s report shows that our targeted investment in training and employment programs is delivering jobs for Queenslanders,” Ms Fentiman said.

“More than $165 million has been invested in Back to Work and Skilling Queenslanders for Work, resulting in almost 8700 people getting a job thanks to these programs in 2018-19.”

“Overall we invested more than $1 billion in Queensland’s training and employment programs, this includes launching our successful free tafe for year 12 graduates initiative.

“We also committed more than $34 million in TAFE campuses across the state in 2018-19, including $26 million in upgrades for the Pimlico TAFE campus, $4 million for the Toowoomba TAFE campus and $4 million for the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre – Beenleigh Training Centre.”

“And I’m proud of our continued investment in TAFE campuses under this year’s State Budget.”

“The Queensland small business sector also received a welcomed boost of more than $5 million in grants to more than 700 small businesses assisted.”

“This year we saw Queensland Small Business Week host more events than ever before with 300 held including the inaugural Taste and Trade market to connect local producers with buyers, stockists and distributors.

“Another major achievement was the response to the monsoon weather event in North and Far North Queensland in February 2019 which saw the government provide recovery support to more than 1,100 locals.”

One of the highlights of the 2018-19 year was the Premier’s Future of Work – Skills and Industry Summit which attracted more than 200 representatives from industry, business university, government, unions and training providers.

“This was a fantastic example of government-industry collaboration which informed the Skills for Queensland – Great training for quality jobs strategy,” Ms Fentiman said.

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