Workforce and Skills Development News

January 2023

Welcome to 2023 - new year, new programs, new people and new opportunities!

Welcome to the first edition for 2023 of CheckUP's Workforce and Skills Development News.

2023 is a looking to be an exciting year for CheckUP’s workforce programs as we expand the support and expertise we are able to provide to our industry partners and stakeholders to assist the health industry and businesses in growing their workforces and developing solutions to ongoing and emerging issues.

Our Workforce and Skills Development News provides stakeholders with up-to-date information and links to programs and funding initiatives relevant to workforce planning and development. In this edition you will find updates on:

• Our Industry Workforce Advisors
• Our new Health Industry Skills Advisor
• New and upcoming funding opportunities
• Professional development and connection opportunities.

Our workforce team looks forward to continuing to connect with you and expanding our networks across the state.

Industry Workforce Advisors *New program*

CheckUP has been contracted by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) to deliver the Industry Workforce Advisors initiative for the health industry. 

Industry Workforce Advisors have been established under the Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-23 to help employers:

• identify solutions to their workforce challenges
• connect with relevant programs and funding, industry-based initiatives and grant funding, and Australian Government wage subsidies and employer incentives.

Your Industry Workforce Advisors

To ensure tailored support can be provided to small to medium businesses across Queensland we have established two new dedicated Industry Workforce Advisors to work with our stakeholders. These are:

• First Nations Industry Workforce Advisor (Health Care and Social Assistance)
• Health Industry Workforce Advisor.

We are pleased to welcome Andrew Legg to CheckUP who has commenced in the First Nations Industry Workforce Advisor (Health Care and Social Assistance) role. 

Vicky Meyer, who previously coordinated our Health Industry Skills Advisor program at CheckUP will now be managing the Health Industry Workforce Advisor program.

Pictured above is Queensland’s Industry Workforce Advisors. Vicky and Andrew are pictured in the centre of the front row.

What is an Industry Workforce Advisor?

The aim of the Industry Workforce Advisor program is to provide workforce planning assistance to small to medium employers enabling them to address workforce challenges, diversify their workforces, and support workforce growth.

Maximising workforce participation enables employers to draw on a larger talent pool, ensuring all Queenslanders have access to employment opportunities, particularly people who have previously been underrepresented in the workplace.

CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisors will work directly with employers to:

• Create an individual workforce plan which identifies and addresses workforce challenges
• Access funded HR support/solutions for their business
• Diversify and support workforce growth
• Assist in developing recruitment strategies
• Access accredited and non-accredited industry training
• Develop plans to assist with workforce attraction and retention
• Connect with relevant programs and funding, industry-based initiatives and grant funding, and Australian Government wage subsidies and employer incentives.

How to connect with your Industry Workforce Advisor

We are inviting Expressions of Interest from small to medium health employers across Queensland to access workforce planning assistance and services, through the Industry Workforce Advisors.

To complete an Expression of Interest and have one of our Industry Workforce Advisors contact you please click on the below button or scan the QR code.

To speak directly to an Industry Workforce Advisor you can contact them on the details listed below.

Welcome to the new Health Industry Skills Advisor

CheckUP is engaged by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training as the Industry Skills Advisor (ISA) for Health. As the ISA for Health CheckUP engages with employers, small business and industry stakeholders to provide high-quality, evidence-based industry advice and intelligence about current and emerging industry directions, regional skill needs, training solutions and employment opportunities.

The ISA is an important role for CheckUP and the health industry as it provides opportunities for us to engage with our stakeholders to identify training and skills priorities and inform investment settings for the health industry. 

We are pleased to welcome Amanda Griffiths, who has commenced in the ISA role at CheckUP this month. Amanda will be introducing herself to stakeholders over the coming weeks. Amanda can be contacted at agriffiths@checkup.org.au.

More information about the Health Industry Skills Advisor program is available on the CheckUP website.

New and upcoming funding opportunities

HR Support Funding for Small Health Business

Up to $5000 in funding is now available for eligible small business.

This funding is available through the Queensland Government’s Workforce Connect Fund, a key initiative of the Good people. Good Jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-23

The HR support for small business funding can support HR solutions, support, and advice that lead to adopting new and innovative approaches to addressing workforce issues for small businesses who are considered eligible for funding.

To be eligible for the funding small businesses must work with their Industry Workforce Advisor to determine eligibility and have developed a workforce plan that identifies the need for new or innovative HR solutions that will address an immediate need within their business.

To speak directly to an Industry Workforce Advisor you can contact them on the details listed below.

First Nations Industry Workforce Advisor (Health Care and Social Assistance)
Andrew Legg, E: alegg@checkup.org.au, M: 0498 801 004.

Health Industry Workforce Advisor
Vicky Meyer, E: vmeyer@checkup.org.au, M: 0436 814 501.

You can also complete an Expression of Interest and have one of our Industry Workforce Advisors contact you by clicking on the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/F45jGnGREY.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work

Applications for the first funding round in 2023-24 opens on 6 February 2023.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work funds training and support for unemployed or underemployed people, with a focus on young people (including those in and transitioned from out-of-home care), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, mature-age jobseekers, women re-entering the workforce, veterans and ex-service personnel, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Professional development and connections

Skilling Queenslanders for Work - Tender Writing Workshops (QCOSS)

The Queensland Government’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work (SQW) initiative funds training and support programs to assist up to 15,000 Queenslanders each year to gain the skills, qualifications and experience they need to enter and stay in the workforce. 

QCOSS works with the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training to support our sector to apply for Skilling Queenslanders for Work funding. QCOSS delivers a range of capacity building sessions to support community organisations in writing tenders and to build partnerships for delivery with other local organisations.

The first SQW funding round for 2023 opens on 6 February 2023.

Community of Practice: Supporting Diversity in the Workforce (QCOSS)

Workplace diversity is crucial - especially in the social services sector - and yet many organisations struggle to attract and retain diverse candidates. With sector workforce shortages at crisis point, it’s a critical time to re-evaluate and reform your human resources strategy to make sure it promotes genuinely diverse and inclusive hiring and workplaces.

QCOSS together with NFP Success – an Australian consultancy firm that works solely with the Not-for-Profit and community sector to help organisations improve their effectiveness, are facilitating a four-part online course to provide participants with the tools they need to build and stable and diverse employee base.

If you’re a leader, manager, human resources (HR) professional or simply interested in creating a safe, supportive workforce that’s representative of your community and would like more information or to enrol in this course visit the QCOSS website.

Workforce Collaboration Hub

Do you have a great story to tell about how you found, trained and kept the right workers?

The Queensland Government’s Workforce Collaboration Hub provides a platform for employers to share their stories, ideas and tips to help benefit employers. More information and case studies are available on the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training website, including information on how to join the Workforce Collaboration Hub on LinkedIn.

Your colleagues can join our mailing list

Please share our Workforce and Skills Development News with your colleagues to keep them informed and up-to-date. To receive the newsletter directly to their inbox each month they can sign up here.

CheckUP acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land.