A perceived lack of job opportunities continues to be a major concern for Ballarat residents, a new report has revealed.
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A City of Ballarat Perceptions Survey labelled lack of employment opportunities a top concern.
This comes as employment agency leaders say there needs to be a great focus on ensuring young people are given suitable employment opportunities – even if they are only part-time. Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre executive Michelle Whyte said government funding was often outcome directed – when the reality was people just needed opportunities to break into the competitive workforce.
“Funding is (often) based on outcomes, they need to be working. We believe it needs to be more about the person,” Ms Whyte said.
She said outcome focused funding often required employers to give job seekers a high number of hours – which in Ballarat’s “highly casualised work climate” was often unrealistic.
Ms Whyte said job seekers were often pigeon holed into particular areas or trades that were receiving funding at that particular time – resulting in a backlog of people with certificates in areas they were not particularly interested in working in.
On Wednesday the state government announced $500,000 would be directed to Ballarat in a bid to help more Ballarat residents find permanent, full time jobs.
Two employment providers, Westvic Staffing Solutions and Edge Workforce, will service Ballarat as well as other regions, helping 50 disadvantaged jobseekers work for 26 weeks or more.The providers will launch targeted services, working closely with employers to find work for disadvantaged people who often face multiple barriers.
Employment minister Wade Noonan said federal programs such as jobactive were largely effective for people who are relatively job-ready but not effective for people with complex barriers to employment who require more intensive support. YMCA chief executive Kate Phillips said there needed to be a holistic collaborative approach between organisations working with young people and agencies.
“(This would) really establish clear pathways between learning and development and placements, to establishing ongoing employment,” Ms Phillips said.
BGT agency chief Garry Doyle said there needed to be more programs to ensure young people needed to be equipped with job skills.