The state government will spend a six-figure sum to help Grampians region job seekers connect with businesses and industries that could employ them.
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Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas made the announcement on Friday during a visit to Ararat manufacturer AME Systems.
The government will spend $228,000 from its Regional Skills Fund to establish an Industry Skills Coordinator, which will link job seekers to industry, and help connect them to necessary education and training.
“We have to make an ongoing investment in the development of skills locally to be able to utilise all the opportunities available,” Mr Pallas said.
“The aim is to marry up skills with industries’ needs.
“Here in Ararat, AME Systems is a great demonstration of industry identifying and developing local skilled talent so the community can continue to grow and prosper.”
The project was championed by the Central Highlands Regional Partnership in response to priority issues raised by the region’s communities.
Mr Pallas said it had been developed by a steering group comprised of a wide cross section of community and industry group leaders that will continue to guide the project.
The steering group includes representatives from Central Grampians Local Learning Employment Network, Stawell Neighbourhood House, Grampians Community Health, East Grampians Health Service, Ararat Regional Business Association, StawellBiz and Ararat manufacturers AME Systems and Gason.
Grampians Community Health’s Kate Astbury, who had helped campaign for the jobs project, said there were limited post-secondary education options in Ararat and Stawell.
“It’s been that way for a period of time had not a lot had been done to fix the problem,” she said.
“We have taken this concept, which was purely in conversation, and turned it into some form of action.”
“Thanks to the government, our organisations have been given the opportunity to develop local solutions to local problems.”
Ms Astbury thanked all the organisations who had helped with the campaign and put in submissions for funding.
Mr Pallas said the coordinator project will also identify priorities for workforce development in and around Ararat and Stawell and help find training solutions to local issues,align training provision to industry needs, assist industry to navigate the training system, and grow the educational aspirations of community members.
Northern Grampians Shire mayor Tony Driscoll said the Industry Skills Coordinator would hopefully allow more people in the region to gain employment from the state government’s plan to promote mining exploration.
“This is about matching skills with jobs and is going to be a great opportunity for the whole region,” he said.
“There is a need for people to fill existing opportunities, but it’s about having the particular skills to match the needs of employers.”