- Peel Jobs and Skills Centre launched at South Metropolitan TAFE in Mandurah
- Centres support employers and businesses to build a skilled workforce and create employment, apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities
- Delivery of key election commitment with seven Jobs and Skills Centres now open across Western Australia
The Peel Jobs and Skills Centre will work to meet its region's unique local needs, with a particular focus on addressing the area's high youth unemployment rate.
The McGowan Government's Jobs and Skills Centres - a key election commitment as part of the Plan for Jobs - are one-stop-shops for students, jobseekers and career changers looking to improve their skills and job prospects.
Staff at the centres provide free professional and practical advice on training and employment opportunities, career advice and apprenticeship and training information.
Locals are already benefiting with career information services provided on 229 occasions, and 19 clients have been assisted into education and training.
Auston Newburry, 18, secured a Heavy Diesel Apprenticeship at WestGold Resources with the centre's support.
The centre provided coaching and advice based on Auston's unique situation, helping with his concerns about disclosing his autism and what to do in an interview. With the centre's help, his family is working with the Autism Association of WA so they can support him through his studies.
The Peel Jobs and Skills Centre is locally focused and delivered by South Metropolitan TAFE, in partnership with South Metropolitan Youth Link and Bridging the Gap. The centre will work closely with school leavers, youth at risk, sole parents, employers and industry.
Outreach services will also be offered in Boddington, Waroona, Byford and Pinjarra and will include Aboriginal stakeholders.
Aboriginal people are a key priority client group, and extensive local stakeholder consultation was undertaken to ensure Aboriginal people benefit from the new service delivery model.
Jobs and Skills Centres are now open at Kalgoorlie, Joondalup, Balga, Northbridge, Thornlie, Rockingham and Peel TAFE campuses, and several more will open progressively in regional Western Australia throughout 2018-19.
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
"We are focused on extending the reach of training and upskilling opportunities in Western Australia because both employers and job-seekers need access to high-quality training and employment advice and services.
"The Peel Jobs and Skills Centre is all about creating jobs for people from Mandurah and across the region by directly linking training with employment, based on the needs of local industry.
"These centres are already proving their value with clients like Auston achieving their employment and training goals, and employers supported to find staffing solutions."
As stated by Mandurah MLA David Templeman:
"Mandurah has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Australia and we are working hard to address this community issue.
"The most effective way of combating social issues is through opportunities for employment and training.
"This new centre will help improve the connection between the training sector and industry, and ensure we meet the employment and training needs of local people and local businesses."
