Skilling Solutions helping thousands of jobseekers
Employment, Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe is encouraging jobseekers considering a career change in the New Year to take advantage of free services offered by Skilling Solutions Queensland.
Mr Hinchliffe said Skilling Solutions Queensland offers a one-stop-shop training and career information service to help jobseekers improve their job prospects.
'We've got trained staff ready to help jobseekers identify their current workplace skills and experience, which may be help them gain formal qualifications. Best of all, it's free,' he said.
'People are then referred to a Registered Training Organisation for recognition of prior learning and training in areas where there may be gaps in their skills.'
'If a jobseeker has their current workplace skills and experience formally recognised, it reduces the amount of training they would have to undertake to gain a nationally recognised qualification,' he said.
'It's a great way to fast-track formal qualifications which can, in turn, lead to promotions or career changes.'
Mr Hinchliffe said Skilling Solutions Queensland also operates a mobile van service for people with transport issues.
Regular off-site service locations can be found on the Skilling Solutions Queensland website.
'The Bligh Government is committed to reaching our Q2 target to have three out of four Queenslanders hold trade, training or tertiary qualifications by 2020.'
'That's why we have invested $732 million this financial year in our TAFE institutes, registered training organisations and initiatives such as Skilling Solutions Queensland.'Last financial year, Skilling Solutions Queensland was able to deliver a range of free services to 30,000 Queenslanders, including:
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Local labour market information - earnings and employment patterns, current and forecast employment trends and occupational demand indicators;
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Information on local training opportunities, apprenticeships, traineeships, licensing and relevant industry bodies;
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Referrals to services such as the Productivity Places Program, Skilling Queenslanders for Work, Overseas Qualification Recognition, Energy Skills Solutions and support services for individuals needing to increase their literacy and/or numeracy levels; and
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Personalised career pathway information and referrals for recognition of prior learning assessments.
The Minister said 11,000 clients were referred for recognition of prior learning assessment last financial year.
'Of those, more than 4,300 enrolled with a registered training organisation to undertake formal recognition of prior learning - 96% have received either a full qualification, a partial qualification or a competency recognition,' he said.
For more information on Skilling Solutions Queensland, including branch and off-site service locations, visit www.skillingsolutions.qld.gov.au.
Employment, Skills and Mining
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe