The Queensland Government’s assistance program for regional Queensland employers to take on new staff has put more than 1500 staff ‘Back to Work’.
The $100 million Back to Work program has already assisted 1557 Queenslanders into jobs in the state’s regions, with another 300 applications pending assessment.
Significantly, 541 of those assisted through Back to Work were long-term unemployed. They had been out of the workforce for at least 12 months; now they have work.
The jobs supported through the Back to Work program are spread across the Queensland’s regions with:
- 362 jobs supported in far north Queensland, including Cairns
- 344 in north Queensland, including Townsville
- 287 in Wide Bay, including Bundaberg and Maryborough
- 228 in Mackay and Whitsunday region
- 221 in central Queensland, including Rockhampton
- 64 in south-west Queensland, including Roma
- 51 in north-west Queensland, including Mount Isa.
Under the Back to Work program, Employer Support Payments for eligible employers hiring eligible employees are:
- $10,000 for an unemployed worker
- $15,000 for long-term unemployed (out of work for 12 months or more)
- $20,000 for hiring a young jobseeker aged 15-24 (from 1 December 2016 to 28 February 2017).
PLUS: $20,000 Youth Boost extended for regional employers.
The Queensland Government has extended its offer of $20,000 for employers hiring staff aged between 15 and 24 years in regional Queensland for another eight months. The Youth Boost ended on 28 February; however, following representations from employers and regional Members of Parliament, the government has decided to extend the program until 31 October 2017.
Want to access some of the funding available for Queensland employers? Contact the NRA Training Team at training@nra.net.au.