Gold Coast City Council has been awarded $135,000 by the Queensland Government to employ a research officer to undertake the Industry Government Strategic Skills Audit.

 

The audit will identify and support growth industry sectors and help to link future industries with available skills and education.

 

The initiative comes under the state government’s $1.6 million funding for Gold Coast employment and training projects.

 

The funds are designed help more than 260 long-term unemployed jobseekers and early school leavers from the Gold Coast move into the workforce.

 

The recent grants bring the total Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding for the Gold Coast to more than $5.5 million to date this financial year.

 

Since the initiative began in July 2007, more than 6000 Gold Coast people have been assisted with an investment of $22.84 million.

 

Other funding includes; $442,300 to Community Support Agency for a paid work placement project for 25 long-term unemployed people to undertake environmental work in the vicinity of Hinze Dam at Gilston; $324,400 to Community Support Agency for two separate Get Set for Work projects - one at  Reedy Creek for 30 young people and another at Coombabah, also for 30; $145,610 to Busy Inc at Southport for a Get Set for Work project for 30 participants; $100,200 to Bridging the Gap Job Help Gold Coast for a Get Set for Work project for 20 participants at Arundel.