Cairns company simplifies access to training funds
Signature Staff has launched a new division to help Far Northern businesses secure a slice of the Federal Government’s $800 million in funds earmarked for training, development and employment.
Managing Director Vlasta Eriksson said Training and Development Officer Jenny Joyce had joined the Cairns-based recruitment company in its Human Services and Community division, called People Plus.
“Jenny will work with businesses needing to access funds for training to fill skills shortages, as well as devising initiatives to inspire disadvantaged people to support participation in education and employment,” she said.
Signature Staff was recently appointed by the Federal Government’s Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to three funding panels including the Indigenous Employment Program.
The Employment Broker Panel will ensure employment service and training providers focus on the needs of local employers to address skills shortages and connect job seekers to the relevant training, while the Innovation Fund Panel is for projects to help disadvantaged job seekers including the homeless, people with mental illness and people from jobless families or who are living in areas of entrenched disadvantage.
For the past decade, Innisfail-born Ms Joyce’s career has spanned both the employment and training industries with various roles at Worklink, the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE and Signature Staff.
One of the Mamu people, Ms Joyce has a particular interest in helping indigenous people find employment.
“This role brings together a number of my areas of interest, so I’m looking forward to helping businesses secure funds to train and develop new staff, backed up by the professional team at Signature Staff who are experienced in finding the right person for the job,” she said.
“New and emerging businesses will benefit as the funds can be used to help them find a workforce solution. For example, a company could get financial assistance to find and recruit new employees as well as specific training as requested by the employer.
