Trainees closer to employment after graduating

Twenty construction, conservation and land management trainees are a step closer to employment after they graduated from the Reclink Skilling Queenslanders for Work project on Friday.

Reclink Queensland manager Steve Hutchinson said Reclink had now operated 16 Skilling Queenslanders for Work – Work Skills Traineeship projects across Queensland with more than 580 people being paid in a 22-week traineeship in either Construction or Conservation and Land Management.

Across these projects Reclink has achieved an average of more than 83 per cent transition to further employment and a further 12% moving into tertiary education or training.

Mr Hutchinson said this was the fourth project held at Community Lifestyle Support and each year there were two intakes with 20 trainees each time.

“The project runs for a 22-week period and we provide work experience-based training,” he said.

He said the latest round of trainees were immersed first hand in projects at CLS and they would see the benefits provided to people with disabilities.

“They were busy building landscapes with disability access and helped with the Make a Space at CLS,” Mr Hutchinson said.

Skills to help enter with employment

The Reclink Skilling Queenslanders for Work project provides unemployed people with skills to help them enter or return to the workforce.

“Participants undertake a Certificate II in a work readiness course,” he said.

“They work as part of team and it helps them put their best foot forward and can help with job interviews.

“It’s really about providing skills and qualifications in areas where there is a skill shortage.”

Mr Hutchinson said people aged between 15 and 63 took part in the Reclink Skilling Queenslanders for Work project and the diversity helped with the course.

“By having the age range, we found mentoring roles organically developed,” he said.

“The older participants helped educate the younger ones and this is always nice to see.”

 Bundaberg Regional Councillor Steve Cooper attended the award ceremony and congratulated the trainees on their success.

“It was a great morning and the graduates were very enthusiastic and excited about their achievements,” Cr Cooper said.

“It was great to learn about the projects each team has participated in as part of Reclink Australia’s Linking Employment Pathways Bundaberg Project in partnership with Community Lifestyle Support.”

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