Jobfind, TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) and Programmed have joined forces to develop an innovative new way to Engage, Educate and Employ Australians.
For the first time, a national partnership of the TAFE network peak body, an employment services provider, public education and training providers, and one of the largest national employers will collaborate in a structured way to provide job seekers with a skills and jobs pathway, to a career.
A key finding of a study Jobfind commissioned from McCrindle Research in Oct 2020 on ‘Changing Times, Emerging Trends’ highlighted that the jobs created after COVID-19 pandemic will mean many job seekers will need to reskill or upskill, and young people will require support to meet their needs and aspirations.
This new initiative will find and prepare unemployed Australians and reskill and upskill them before placing them into jobs. This will create a much-needed pipeline of job-ready workers, enhancing linkages between employment services; the TAFE education and skills training national network; and national level employers.
Craig Robertson, Chief Executive Officer at TDA, said
“We are incredibly proud of the work TAFEs do collectively as a national network. We are very pleased to be able to link TAFEs with key stakeholders and with industry to develop programs to benefit Australians and employers of Australians. Programs that are in Australia’s national interest. TDA and its member TAFEs are really excited about the opportunities and potential this new partnership offers our students and our industry partners.”
How it works
Engage: Our 20,000 job seekers and all TAFE students are all welcome to participate in the initiative. Candidates will be identified, assessed, and screened based on the skills and attributes required by Programmed and candidates’ career goals. Job seekers assessed as not quite ready, will be referred for basic employability skills training and other interventions (for example, literacy training, digital literacy or health services) before participating.
Educate: Jobfind and Programmed will work with individual TAFEs to identify locally in-demand skills, skills mismatches, and future job opportunities, beginning with a pilot in Victoria. Skilling ‘packages’ will be run by TAFEs to fill Programmed’s jobs. These will range from bespoke short courses focussing on specific skills or micro-credentials, to longer-term accredited training. Free TAFE courses will be accessed and, where appropriate, training costs will be paid from the Australian Government’s Employment Fund. Where sufficiently suitable participants cannot be found Jobfind will help to source participants from other providers.
Employ: Job seekers who successfully complete training will get preferential consideration by Programmed on offers. Additional training once in work, and post placement will be provided by Jobfind.
This may include referrals to allied health professionals as required.
ABOUT JOBFIND
Jobfind was established in 1998 and is a leading provider of employment, recruitment and post-employment services having placed and supported more than half a million Australians. Nationwide, with significant ties to Melbourne from the North of the City to the Mornington Peninsula, we are proud of 4 and 5-star ratings and our commitment to jobactive, DES and Parents Next customers.
At Jobfind, we deliver life changing opportunities for individuals and committed workers for employers. Our highly dedicated staff and exceptional service motto reflects our commitment to quality for more than 20 years, two decades of experience helping the hardest to help back into work. Jobfind is proudly part of the Angus Knight Group.
ABOUT ANGUSKNIGHT
Now in its 30th year, AngusKnight Pty Ltd (AK) develops individuals, communities, and organisations via employment, training and workforce solutions. Servicing diverse markets within the Government, corporate, indigenous and community sectors, AK combines customer-focused insights with productivity prowess to empower clients to meet their full potential – be it personal, commercial or philanthropic. Operating in over 200 locations in Australia and the UK, AK has helped more than 1 million people into work. AngusKnight is 100% Australian-owned and our partnership business model is unique and focuses on collaborations with national and local organisations (mainly not-for-profits). AK is the holding company of 13 businesses which employ directly, and through our partnerships more than 700 people to deliver services in Australia and the UK.
ABOUT PROGRAMMED
Programmed is a leading provider of Staffing, Maintenance and Care services across Australia and New Zealand, one of Australia’s top thirty companies by revenue, and a top ten private employer. Our business model is built around our ability to recruit, deploy, manage and maintain a large, directly employed workforce of professional, skilled and semi-skilled staff with a wide range of capabilities from our 100+ branches across metropolitan and regional areas throughout ANZ. Our 30,000+ team members serve more than 10,000 customers every day. Our customers cover all sectors including education, health, infrastructure, manufacturing, utilities, transport and mining.
ABOUT TAFE DIRECTORS AUSTRALIA
TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) is the peak national body representing Australia’s national network of publicly owned Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and university TAFE divisions. TDA’s core business is to support TAFEs in meeting Australia’s need for increased productivity, participation, and workforce knowledge and skills. TDA does this, in part, by working with its corporate affiliates such as the Angus Knight Group.
TAFEs also have an important role in meeting community obligations, particularly across regional, rural and remote Australia. TAFEs are committed to creating equal opportunity for all Australians to access the benefits from Australia’s economic prosperity, and to enhance social participation and inclusion, irrespective of students’ background, education and training aspirations, or career ambitions.
TAFEs are comprehensive educators and trainers, from VET in Schools through to higher education post-graduate qualifications. Of the 28 TDA members, ten TAFEs offer VET and Higher Education qualifications while a further six members are TAFE divisions of dual sector universities. Most Australian states have adopted a one-TAFE model for their state, apart from Victoria and Western Australia that have multiple TAFE institutes.
Jobfind acknowledges the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present.
