Ten Indigenous jobseekers from the Beaudesert area will be among the earliest recruits to Queensland’s Green Army when they start work on a Wyaralong Dam project this month.
Parliamentary Secretary for Employment and Economic Development Jan Jarratt said the Bligh Government had provided funding of more than $133,000 to Civic Solutions so that long-term unemployed Indigenous people could receive training and paid work on a project that would produce long-term benefits for the broader community.
“Queensland’s Green Army will provide 3000 jobs over the next three years as part of the Government’s direct response to the deteriorating job market caused by the international financial downturn,” Ms Jarratt said.
“The Beaudesert project will not only break the unemployment cycle for the 10 Indigenous recruits but it will also develop their skills to help them with future work aspirations and they’ll be playing an important community role by rehabilitating the Wyaralong Dam catchment area.
“The dam project is part of the Queensland Government’s initiative to provide secure water solutions for the whole of south-east Queensland.
“The government is committed to getting people into jobs, improving skills to meet labour market needs and addressing environmental priorities,” Ms Jarratt said.
Civic Solutions chief executive officer Robert Pahl said the recruits would be engaged in a variety of work including clearing vegetation, identifying and removing weeds and pests, site preparation, realigning fences, revegetation, collecting and storing native seed and observing fauna activity.
“The jobs they’ll do will be among many important components of Queensland Water Infrastructure’s major Wyaralong Dam project,” Mr Pahl said.
“They will develop a range of new practical skills such as basic construction, site surveying and levelling, use of chemicals and plant identification. This will be backed up by on-site accredited training delivered by Bremer TAFE.”
The State Government has committed $57 million to provide 2300 Queenslanders with Green Army jobs of up to six months and 700 young unemployed people with year-long Green Traineeships.
Media contacts: Treasurer’s office — (07) 3224 6361 or 3224 5982
Civic Solutions – 3347 9000
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