The WA government is encouraging Indigenous job seekers - and job changers - to take advantage of a free "preemployment pathway", which is open to all, that guides them into administrative and customer service jobs quickly and effectively.
The Digital Workplace Job Ready program is one of 130 fee free courses in 2024, made possible by the WA government's partnership with the federal government.
WA Training and Workforce Development Minister Simone McGurk met with 11 Digital Workplace Job Ready participants on Thursday who are graduating from a unique delivery of the program at North Metropolitan TAFE.
The Digital Workplace Job Ready program is delivered at North Metro TAFE under the banner of its Koomba Birdal (Big Spark) program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Students are supported throughout their training by NM TAFE's Koolark Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and the NM TAFE Jobs and Skills Centre.
On completion of the course, students will be connected with opportunities to transition into employment. The program engages with employers, who have the opportunity to host a work placement student with the objective to transition into a traineeship.
Many of Thursday's graduates have secured a 12-month traineeship following their completion of the program, with Pacific Energy, MEGT, Waalitj Foundation and WesCEF among the employers taking on trainees from this cohort.
The Digital Workplace Job Ready program provides training in organising data and records, producing documents and the use of different software applications. The program is designed to develop participants' confidence and ensure they are job ready for a wide range of business support roles.
The WA government said its Job Ready programs aim to ensure Western Australians - particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, young people, people looking for work or receiving income support, unpaid carers, people with disability, and women facing economic insecurity - can "access training and support to help them upskill or reskill for jobs in industries with a need for skilled workers".
To date 19 per cent of Job Ready graduates are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, and 27 per cent undertook the training in regional WA.
WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti said the program is "a fantastic initiative that is helping Aboriginal students get the skills they need be part of the digital workforce and land jobs in administration and customer service"
"Well done to the new graduates of North Metropolitan TAFE's specialist Koomba Birdal program," he said.
"I would encourage other young Aboriginal people to consider taking advantage of this free training - who knows where it could take you."
Registration for the Digital Workplace Job Ready program occurs on the Jobs and Skills WA
website at www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/pathways. The Job Ready team can also be reached on 6551 5049, and information on the nearest Jobs and Skills Centre is available via 13 64 64.
Minister McGurk said the Digital Workplace Job Ready program is designed to develop the digital skills of "job seekers or career changers", preparing them for administration and customer service-based roles across a range of industries.
"The Digital Workplace Job Ready Program is a great opportunity to gain valuable entry-level skills and links with an employer to help you enter the digital workforce," she said.
"The Digital Workplace Job Ready Program was developed in response to workforce needs and responds to feedback from industry for short, sharp training as raised in the 2021 WA Skills Summit."
