135 Jobs for People in GROW Target Areas

“You’ve got to have good work to have a good life”  

The GROW initiative is an economic approach to address disadvantage – driving regional job creation and ensuring some of these jobs are made available to people in GROW target areas.

The GROW initiative focusses on developing strong partnerships and adding value to existing employment support and job service providers in GROW target areas by

  • Extending the reach of employer engagement through our GROW Compact Program
  • Providing additional focus on co-ordination across the service system
  • Strengthening the development of links between employers and employment services working in our target areas
  • Ensuring employment opportunities developed out of GROW compact commitments flow into our target areas wherever possible

FIRST TWO YEARS OF GROW SIGNATORY ORGANISATIONS REPORTING EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES

2017 Report Card 2018 Report Card Total employment impact
 
Regional Job creation 145 178 323 regional jobs
Place based jobs   60  75 135 targeted jobs
Place based job pathways   12    7   19 targeted  pathways

 

In our first Report to the Region (2017) employers reported creating 60 employment opportunities for jobseekers from GROW target communities.   In 2018, signatories confirmed that 72% of these people were still in employment and an additional 75 employment opportunities and 7 employment pathways for job seekers from Corio, Norlane, Whittington and Colac. These 75 new employment opportunities are made up of 54 jobs, 8 apprenticeships and 13 traineeships within local Compact Signatory organisations. The employment pathways include internships and work experience opportunities, that are a critical step towards longer term employment.

 

Of the 75 jobs reported in 2017, 16% of people came from Colac, 52 % from Corio and Norlane and 32% from Whittington.

“I would like to see hundreds of business sign up and get involved. Let’s SMASH the target,” Mat Dickens, Corio Waste Management.

Compact Signatories also reported that over 80% of these jobs were supported by local employment support services, including Northern Futures, Whittington Works, Whitelion, Gforce Employment Solutions and the Colac Jobs Victoria program. The services provided through these programs are recognized to be critical to supporting people with multiple barriers into quality and sustainable employment.

I feel that help, and all this put together has been really great for my benefit, and I’m looking forward to my life, so yeah, it’s been really helpful,”  Jobseeker in Colac

Learn more about the GROW initiative here