Grants and funding, Manufacturing News, Skills and training

Backing manufacturing and engineering jobs in Melbourne

Backing manufacturing and engineering jobs in Melbourne

Minister for Employment Ben Carroll announced a $2 million partnership between Jobs Victoria and Chisholm Institute to fill 100 engineering roles in manufacturing by April next year.

The Jobs Victoria Engineering Project is open to people facing barriers to employment, including women aged 45 and over, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people with disability.

Roles will be based across southeast Melbourne including 70 production welder and machine operator roles and 30 fabrication and mechanical apprenticeships.

For people like Jawad Daneshwar, the program provides an opportunity to gain Australian qualifications and build a rewarding career.

Daneshwar arrived in Australia in 2022 from Afghanistan. With a family to support and mechanical engineering qualifications not recognised here, he was struggling to find work in his field of expertise.

After discovering the Jobs Victoria Engineering Project while learning English at Chisholm Institute, he’s working full time as a machine operator at RS Centre in Noble Park and could start an apprenticeship later this year.

No experience is required for these earn and learn roles, with participants receiving 12 months’ secure employment and access to additional support to set them up for long-term careers in a fast-growing sector. P

articipants may also complete a Certificate II or III in Engineering Studies.

Victoria is home to more than 23,000 manufacturing businesses providing more than 260,000 jobs. The sector generates $22.9 billion in annual exports and contributes 30 per cent of the nation’s manufacturing output.

“It’s great to see Jawad supported back into a career he’s so passionate about and for other jobseekers to get into an industry that has so many career paths,” Minister Carroll said. 

“Victoria is the heart of Australian manufacturing and a major source of jobs – we’re providing opportunities for people who have faced obstacles and making sure businesses can get the workers they need.”

“Partnering with institutions such as Chisholm to deliver these programs with Free TAFE is ensuring we’re providing people with the training and skills they need to work in some of our priority sectors.

Program participant Jawad Daneshwar said, “I would advise anyone who wants to work in this industry to go through this program. It’s great to get a foot in the door, meet new people and make new connections.”

RS Centre owner Andrew Kerr said, “We couldn’t get good staff through the door. This project and the additional support from Jobs Victoria and Chisholm have given us the capacity to find great people like Jawad – as a business, you can’t go wrong.”

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