New approach to recruitment opens more doors for job seekers

Assistant Minister for Employment Luke Hartsuyker was in Melbourne today to launch the Eastland Jobs Initiative ahead of the start of the Australian Government’s new jobactive employment service on 1 July 2015.

The Eastland Jobs Initiative is a partnership between Eastland, Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the Maroondah City Council and the Australian Government’s new jobactive providers.

The Eastland Jobs Initiative will create up to 1500 jobs in the retail and hospitality sector for local job seekers.

The Assistant Minister said he was delighted to see the new jobactive providers working pro-actively with retail employers to understand their recruitment needs and deliver a tailored and professional service.

“Retail is an incredibly important industry in this country and employs almost one in ten Australians. Over the next 5 years, the retail sector is predicted to grow by 8.9 percent generating thousands of new jobs” Mr Hartsuyker said.

“The Eastland Jobs Initiative embodies exactly the standard of service that the Government expects of its new jobactive providers.

“By working to reduce the stress of recruitment for employers our jobactive providers are not only helping employers but opening more doors for job seekers.

“The Eastland Jobs Initiative makes it easy for employers to hire by providing a single point of contact to lodge vacancies with all local jobactive providers.

“Our jobactive providers in turn will then screen and shortlist candidates and work with the Australian Retailers Association to help them access further training if needed.

“The jobactive providers can also help the employers to access programmes like the Government’s new Work Experience Programme and the $1.2 billion wage subsidy pool. Subsidies range in value from $6,500 to up to $10,000.

“I congratulate all those involved in the Eastland Jobs initiative and look forward to more joint partnerships between employers, industry associations and our jobactive providers to help more businesses to thrive and job seekers into work” Mr Hartsuyker said.

The Government’s new $6.8 billion jobactive employment service starts nationally on 1 July 2015. It includes stronger incentives to ensure that jobactive providers are focused on meeting the needs of employers and helping job seekers into work.