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CheckUP Connect eNews | Edition 2 | April 2025
Industry and Workforce Development
Hi there,
Welcome to the second edition of CheckUP Connect eNews.
Firstly, we proudly announce that CheckUP has been awarded the Health Industry Skills and Jobs Advisors (ISJA) program, funded by the Department of Trade Employment and Training. Read more about this exciting program below.
Secondly, stay tuned for more information about the launch of Disability Friendly Business Basics Training. It will provide a range of tools and information for businesses to be accessible and inclusive for people with disability.
This past month, our team has been hosting and attending events, collaborating and speaking individually with small businesses, sole traders, community organisations and business organisations.
Read more below about QPHCN Healthcare: Small Business Matters! event held last week, Biz Connect Online, the Cairns #GOHealth Careers Expo, the Mackay Regional Council community services and NDIS businesses morning tea, and more.
In this edition, you will also find news about small disaster supports, relevant industry reports, resources, surveys and grants.
Remember to dive into the new NDIS Business Connect website - a hub for small businesses and sole traders to provide access to information, resources and supports.
We welcome any questions about our workforce programs. Links to all CheckUP’s programs are showcased at the end of our newsletter.
Please also share this newsletter and the NDIS Business Connect website with your networks.
Kind regards,
Vicky Meyer,
General Manager – Workforce
CheckUP
Thank you for joining us at QPHCN Healthcare: Small business matters!
Thank you, Country to Coast PHN, for co-hosting CheckUP's QPHCN Healthcare: Small business matters! event held on the Sunshine Coast last week. We thank everyone who joined us. It was great to see you.
CheckUP speakers shared information about workforce solutions, funding opportunities, and free workforce support available for small to medium-sized healthcare businesses. Additionally, CheckUP highlighted that there are resources to help strengthen the NDIS small business market and community services workforce.
Gillian Ingram, Deputy Director of Education and Workforce, Country to Coast Primary Networks, and Louise Hauser, Program Manager - Workforce Evolve, Business Chamber Queensland provided valuable insights and resources.
If you were unable to attend the event, please view the video and presentation slides from the day HERE.
Biz Connect Online
Kylie, Jane and Deb from NDIS Business Connect hosted the first of our free online networking events for small businesses and sole traders at the end of March, with great conversation and sharing among attendees.
Biz Connect, a statewide online network, will be a regular online event and we welcome all small businesses and sole traders to join. This network will focus on building business acumen, keeping on top of NDIS market reforms, navigating that changing market environment and providing a space for peer support with like-minded businesses working to deliver quality services to people with disability.
You can find out how to connect with this network and more activities and resources on the CheckUPConnect website.
Reach out and let us support you.
How can we help you? Take the survey!
CheckUP has been awarded the Industry Skills and Jobs Program (ISJA)
CheckUP has been awarded the Health Industry Skills and Jobs Advisors (ISJA) program, funded by the Department of Trade Employment and Training. The ISJA program supports the Queensland Government by:
- ensuring programs and investments respond to industry needs
- supporting engagement and strategic priorities to strengthen industry connections
- providing insights into workforce and employment challenges and opportunities
- shaping national VET reforms ensuring Queensland has a voice
- promoting engagement with VET pathways, programs and initiatives.
The ISJA program advocates for industry needs and growth by aligning training for in-demand skills and priorities.
Boost your small business: make it accessible for people with disability
Disability Friendly Business Basics Training is coming soon.
This free online training will give businesses the skills and knowledge to:
- improve their understanding of clients with disability so they experience improved customer service
- attract local clients with disability resulting in increased revenue
- improve compliance with quality standards.
Scan the QR code to be kept informed.
You can also find more information about small business supports at www.business.qld.gov.au or you can contact one of CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisors who will also be able to provide information.
Small Business Disaster Supports and Survey
The widespread damage from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred has hit Queensland’s small businesses and communities hard. Helping you get back on your feet is a priority for the Queensland Government. Find disaster support for your business, including financial, wellbeing, mentoring and outreach services.
If you are a health small business that was affected by Cyclone Alfred you can also complete the Queensland Government's disaster impact survey. This survey will assist the Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business to determine what is needed most during this challenging time
Mackay Industry and Workforce Morning Tea
Kylie Hogan, CheckUP’s NDIS Business Connect Manager and Stuart Coward, CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisor – Community Services, recently had a busy few days connecting with local employers and stakeholders in Mackay.
CheckUP and the Mackay Regional Council hosted a community services and NDIS businesses morning tea in Mackay, discussing the business and workforce planning supports available to small-medium businesses in the region.
During the visit, the team connected with Greater Whitsundays Communities, an organisation focused on community development and leading the Greater Whitsunday Care Alliance, attended the Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce’s B2B Networking event, and met with MADEC, one of CheckUP’s Industry Workforce Advisor - Community Services clients.
News from the Cairns #GOHealth Careers Expo
The Workforce and Industry team was actively involved in helping senior secondary students and teachers explore career opportunities in health. This immersive industry event connected students with industry leaders and opened doors to exciting jobs and careers in acute healthcare, wellness health, allied health, and social services. The day featured live demonstrations, mock health facilities, and information booths. A big thanks to the Cairns Regional Jobs Committee for coordinating such a successful expo.
There will be another #GOHealth Careers Expo in Brisbane on 18 June. Head to the Gateway to Industry Schools Program and reach out to the team for more information.
Statewide travel for the Industry and Workforce team
Did you catch up with anyone from the Industry and Workforce team as they navigated Queensland hosting events, collaborating in activities and speaking individually with small businesses, sole traders, community organisations and business organisations?
Business Queensland resources and grants
Stay safe online - brush up on your cybersecurity skills, learn about cloud computing options and other online business topics or use the Digital Health Check tool to assess your strengths and find additional resources on Business Queensland.
Build local skills: funding available - employers, industry stakeholders, and community organisations in regional, rural, and remote areas can receive up to $250,000 for local training solutions that respond to workforce needs through the Local Skills Solutions program. Find out more.
Disability Inclusion @ Work 2024 by Deloitte Australia
The Disability Inclusion @ Work 2024 report highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Australians with disability, chronic health conditions, or neurodivergence in the workplace. Over 500 individuals participated in the survey with comparison to how we rate globally.
Voices of Queenslanders with Disability Survey 2025 OPEN
Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN), Griffith University, and the Queensland Government, invite you to participate in the Voice of Queenslanders with Disability Survey for 2025. The survey is a research initiative designed for Queenslanders with disability, their families, carers, and organisational representatives. Insights and stories are essential in helping to enhance services and programs in Queensland.
Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey
Recruitment Experiences and Outlook Survey
Recent targeted research was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of employer experiences and the factors influencing job placements for young Australians. The research highlighted valuable insights into the barriers and opportunities that young job seekers encounter, such as having the right attitude, good communication skills, and relevant job experience, which were the skills and qualities that employers valued the most. Find out more.
Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO)
The NERO dashboard provides data updated monthly on current regional employment by occupation, highlighting changes in comparison with historical levels, using an emerging technique known as nowcasting.
Community Services Qualification Review AND Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Qualification:
Will review five qualifications and eight associated skillsets to ensure they align with current industry and sector needs across the community services, health care, and social assistance sectors.
Register to have your say on Community Services and Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs.
HumanAbility are calling out for health and community services industry input
Health Services Assistance Qualification:
Involves the review and update of Certificate III in Health Services Assistance - to align it with contemporary practice, latest technology, and increased emphasis on patient-centred care and preparedness for disease outbreaks.
Register to have your say.
Opportunity and Productivity: Towards a Tertiary Harmonisation Roadmap Report Out Now!
This report seeks to articulate the benefits of a more harmonised tertiary sector and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of tertiary education to reduce duplication and overlap, so that students moving between the VET and Higher Education sectors do not need to study the same content twice. Read the full report.
Inquiry into projecting Australia’s urban and regional futures
This research Inquiry investigated different ways to predict local population growth and change. It looked at what drives people to move between urban and regional Australia and what this migration means for planning infrastructure and housing to support population growth and change.
Join our team
CheckUP are seeking an Industry Workforce Advisor to play a crucial role in supporting health employers to identify key workforce challenges and advise on strategies to address business priorities and grow a diverse workforce.
This role offers:
🟠 Fixed term contract to December 2025
🟡 Friendly and supportive team
🟢 Flexible work arrangements
➕ Additional leave, not-for-profit salary sacrificing, and more!
Learn more and apply via Seek.
Please share with your networks so that we can find the perfect person to join our team!
How can we support you?
We have a dedicated team ready to support you with workforce and industry solutions.
Explore our programs below and reach out to the key contacts for these programs directly.
Connect and help grow our network!
As we are continuing to grow our network connections, we would appreciate if you could share this newsletter with your colleagues.
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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.
