INDIGENOUS TRAINEES ON THE EXPRESSWAY TO SUCCESS

Monday, 12 December 2011

Twenty two Indigenous Australians are set to find work with Abigroup on the Hunter Expressway project thanks to traineeships supported by the Australian Government’s Indigenous Employment Program.

Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon said the program would support disadvantaged Indigenous Australians in the Lower Hunter region by providing them with opportunities to learn and earn a wage.

“Participants will receive pre-employment training and train for a Certificate II in Civil Construction, Conservation and Land Management or Business Administration.

“The pre-employment training will assist them as they begin their traineeships on the Abigroup Hunter Expressway Project,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“This project originally planned to engage 20 trainees but due to high demand two more participants have since started traineeships.”

Mr Fitzgibbon thanked Salvation Army Employment Plus and Linddales labour hire company for delivering the training and traineeship support and for their commitment to closing the gap by driving Indigenous employment in the Hunter region.

“The Salvation Army Employment Plus and Linddales model is fantastic for successful recruitment, training and retention of Indigenous Australians,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“Working with Abigroup, the Salvation Army Employment Plus and Linddales the Federal Government has committed $242,000 from the Australian Government’s Indigenous Employment Program.”

“It is critical that Indigenous Australians have the support and training they needed to take up employment opportunities.

“Over the next four years the Australian Government has committed almost $650 million to the Indigenous Employment Program,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
 
“This is part of the Australian Government’s target to create more than 100,000 jobs for Indigenous Australians by 2018.”