BUSY At Work is providing a full-time career facilitator at 131 Bazaar Street, helping youths develop skills to help them find employment without having to leave the region.
The hub services the Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Bundaberg and Burnett regions.
Mr O’Brien said the hub is one of ten training hubs being trialled across Australia as part of a $50.6 million investment by the Australian Government to improve opportunities for Year 11 and 12 students in regions with high youth unemployment.
“Wide Bay youths shouldn’t have to leave the region to find employment, so this Industry Training Hub is about helping local students to gain the skills that local employers are looking for,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This is helping students start their careers without having to leave their hometowns, and also helps local businesses find the skilled staff they need to grow their businesses.”
Mr O’Brien said BUSY At Work’s facilitator, Karen Seymour, is engaging with local employers, especially those who are experiencing difficulty finding people with the right skills they need, to advise senior high school students of skill shortages in the region.
“The hub is identifying the skills employers want and connecting students with training programs to make them job-ready to take advantage of those employment opportunities.
“Industries, workforces and career options are changing rapidly, and this is all about building a strong workforce that meets our local industry needs, now and into the future,” he said.
Career Facilitator Karen Seymour stated “I am looking forward to working together with industry representatives, schools, community groups and youth to help support the career opportunities for young people in our region.
The opening of the Maryborough Training Hub follows two hubs already operating in Burnie in Tasmania and Townsville in Queensland.
Additional training hubs are planned for Grafton and Gosford in NSW, Wanneroo and Armadale in Western Australia, and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
More details can be found at www.dese.gov.au/industry-training-hubs
