Our regional jobs update
Regional Development Australia Darling Downs and South West Inc have been working closely with our community and council in the jobs situation
Last month, the Local Jobs Program team of RDA DDSW were busy preparing for the Toowoomba Jobs Fair. There were more than 40 employers recruiting for more than 650 jobs, and roughly 400 jobseekers attended the fair — making the most of the time by engaging with employers, getting their resumes reviewed, and attending workshop sessions.
June saw Gatton, St George, and Roma also holding Careers and Job Expos.
If you’re interested in attending a future fair, contact our Local Jobs Program Employment Facilitator, Trudi Bartlett on 0488 11 22 98 or email facilitator@ddlocaljobs.com.au
The end of June will see a transition from the JobActive program to the new Workforce Australia program.
Our Local Jobs Program team have met with all three new employment services providers — The BUSY Group, Sarina Rosso and AimBig.
If you are a business looking to fill jobs and would like the contact details of one of the Darling Downs region’s new providers, please get in contact with Trudi or Darren and they will happily broker an introduction.
RDA DDSW is also undertaking the task of collecting evidence of longterm advertised positions that have not been able to be filled by our domestic workforce.
This evidence will be used to support a business case for a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) to expand the occupation list to fill the workforce needs of our region.
If you have been struggling to fill jobs, please go to www.rdaddsw.org.au/dama/ and complete the details required for each of the roles you have been unable to fill.
The team will then be in contact with you to discuss further.
Finally, a forum held in May, entitled The Future of Jobs — Right Here, Right Now, brought together many people from the Toowoomba region who influence other people’s career choices.
The audience, including our local educational institutions, training providers, and employment service providers heard presentations from the aged care, construction, agriculture, and manufacturing industries, all of which are having challenges filling job vacancies now.
They spoke about the variety of roles available, the importance of attitude and aptitude in job seekers, and the need for an improved standard of basic literacy and numeracy skills. The presenters shared what they are doing to “grow their own” workforce which is so important with the current strained housing situation.
There was also a presentation from the arts industry discussing the importance of maintaining this industry and its relationship to the continued “liveability” of our region.
Videos are being produced of each of the presentations and RDA DDSW will share when available for those who were unable to make the forum in person.
The Toowoomba Regional Jobs Committee, supported and funded by the Queensland Government, would like to thank all that attended and supported this event, and our presenters from McLean Farms, JRS Manufacturing, TSBE, Jobs Queensland, Hutchinson Builders, Southern Cross Care, Local Jobs Program, Kim Cahill Social Media Strategies, Construction Skills Queensland, Shiny Happy Art, Toowoomba Regional Council.
Save the date for the next Future of Jobs event on Friday, September 2, where we will focus on major projects in the region and the workforce and skills that will be required.