The Queensland State Government has signed an agreement with the resources sector over sourcing new workers for the industry from coastal areas with high unemployment. The agreement will see local councils assist the State Government in hosting a series of work expos.

 

Premier Anna Bligh said the agreement to hold Work for Queensland mining and jobs expos was reached at a major resources summit on the Gold Coast.

 

The mining and jobs expos will be held in Cairns, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, the Whitsunday region and Wide Bay Burnett starting in October.

 

Latest estimates show that as many as 38,000 construction and operation jobs will be generated in the Queensland resources sector in the 2011-15 period.

 

Ms Bligh said the Queensland Government would host Mining and Gas Jobs Expos in Cairns, the Wide Bay-Burnett, Sunshine Coast, Whitsunday and the Gold Coast in October this year (2011) with the support of local councils.