Nineteen year old Justin Bains recently landed a full time apprenticeship with Ipswich’s GMP Painters after a long period of unemployment. Learn how he kickstarted his career in painting and decorating.
Gold Coast based Apprenticeship and Employment Services organisation BUSY At Work has merged with ON-Q Human Resources and Disability Services. BUSY CEO Paul Miles says, “By combining our strength and capability with the knowledge and skills ON-Q has demonstrated in the disability employment sector, we will create a powerful force for providing outstanding service levels to clients.”
BUSY At Work is proudly supporting a new employment program which is producing some excellent results in building Indigenous careers in the construction and building industry.
BUSY At Work Project Coordinator/Mentor Robyn Donnelly said BUSY was delighted to partner with Australia’s largest privately owned builder Hutchinson Builders to deliver the Statim-Yaga program. Statim-Yaga is derived from Torres Strait Islander Creole and the Jagera language and means to “start work.”
Australia’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 per cent and more than 40,000 jobs were created in May 2017, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.
From July 1, the existing Back to Work program available in regional Queensland will be extended to employers who take on a long-term unemployed or a young unemployed job seeker aged 15-24 years in the South East. This will support up to 1,500 new jobs in the South East, with eligible employers in line for support payments of up to $20,000
Glennie School in Toowoomba leads the way in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships. While many senior students have taken up the opportunity to seek traineeships and apprenticeships with locally based businesses, the private Anglican school for girls is also recruiting students to take up positions within the school with support from BUSY At Work.
BUSY At Work Senior Industry Training Consultant Toowoomba region, Mark Stevens said the school had appointed eight senior students as trainees to work in a number of different departments within the school.
National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) figures released yesterday show the number of people starting an apprenticeship or traineeship has continued to decline.
There was also a decline in the number of apprentices and trainees in-training, with 265,000 in-training as at 31 December 2016, a decrease of 4.5% from 31 December 2015.
This latest release of quarterly data also shows an overall decrease in the number of commencements, completions and cancellations and withdrawals, compared with the December quarter 2015.
While twenty one year old Chinchilla local Nathan Black is excited about having just completed his carpentry apprenticeship, he still has his feet firmly planted on the ground and is keen to continue the learning process in a trade he is passionate about.
For Nathan completing an apprenticeship is just the beginning and he is the first to admit it hasn’t always been an easy ride.
For those considering taking up a carpentry apprenticeship, Nathan was happy to offer some words of advice.
“When you’re new to a trade it’s important to come in with an open mind. The building trade is very ‘hands on’ and your heart has to be in it all the time. You can’t turn up to work and think you can have a lazy day.”
“I’ve met a lot of younger people who ask me how I know I want to do this. You don’t know in two days or two weeks but you have to be willing to put in the hard yards and give it a real go,” Mr Black said.
As for the future Nathan said he was keen to continue to work for Lenny and one day obtain his building sub contractor’s license.
As one of the most successful motor dealerships in South East Queensland, Sunshine Automotive on the Gold Coast knows the value of employing apprentices and what they can bring to a business. BUSY has built a strong working relationship with them during the past 12 years.
Investing in skilling Australians for Australian jobs, tax breaks, cutting red tape and the extension of $20,000 instant asset tax write off are this year’s budget highlights for small to medium businesses.
The BUSY Group acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to the land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and their Elders past and present.
Suite 6/45 Nind Street
Southport QLD 4215
PO BOX 303
Southport QLD 4215
* THE BUSY GROUP LTD trading as BUSY At Work is a service provider contracted by the Australian Government as represented by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to provide support services to prospective and current employers and Australian Apprentices. THE BUSY GROUP LTD is one of a number of Network Providers in Queensland and Western Australia. This website does not represent the Australian Government, if you wish to access information about the Australian Apprenticeships, from the Australian Government you should access the Australian Apprenticeships website.
