2011 Queensland Natural Disasters Jobs and Skills Package.

The Package aims to assist up to 10,000 Queenslanders by investing $83 million from State and Federal governments in a suite of skills and employment initiatives to support regional labour retention and address emergent skills shortages. These initiatives include:

Community Capability - to build the capacity of affected communities to support local industry, coordinate employment and skills assistance and maximise available funding opportunities under the Package.
Green Jobs - to provide employment and work experience opportunities for eligible people on projects targeted at rebuilding community and public infrastructure and environmental restoration following the natural disaster.
Apprentice Support - to implement assistance measures to support employers to retain apprentices and trainees; to provide employment and training opportunities to those apprentices and trainees that are stood down or cancelled; to expand the Out-of-Trade Register to provide a link to future employment opportunities; and to provide additional apprentice incentives to maximise employment during the recovery phase.
Priority Skills Development - training to address priority skills development in regions and industries directly affected by these natural disasters; support funded CWP projects; provide pre-employment training aligned to local job opportunities; support indigenous participation; or address other local priorities.

Jobs and Skills Package Hotline - 1800 773 048

Information on specific initiatives can be obtained by emailing disasterpackage@deta.qld.gov.au, or through the Skills Queensland website at http://www.skills.qld.gov.au/disaster-package.aspx.