
Brickstart Bonus to Boost Bricklaying Apprentices
There’s several thousand good reasons to take on a bricklayer apprentice! Federal Government are offering $9,000 in incentives and ABBTF are offering an additional $3,000 Brickstart Subsidy.
Read the latest on industry updates, inspiring career stories and more!

There’s several thousand good reasons to take on a bricklayer apprentice! Federal Government are offering $9,000 in incentives and ABBTF are offering an additional $3,000 Brickstart Subsidy.

Mature age employee Dianne Smith has never been one to shy away from hard work.
The Cairns local had been previously unemployed for two years in Melbourne but has now found her feet in the tropical north after securing full time work in a field she has always enjoyed.
With the help of CoAct BUSY At Work Employment Consultant, Jessica Campbell and Placement Officer, jobactive, Jason Meyer, Dianne is now working 40 hours a week as a cleaner with respected local business, Abelia Cleaning.

The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising individuals, businesses and registered training organisations for their contribution to skilling Australia – Applications close Wednesday 31 May 2017

Mackay local Darien Andrews is positive proof that being a participant in a Working for the Dole (WfD) program can be a meaningful and life changing experience.
The 21 year old signed up for a Work for the Dole activity at the Pioneer Tennis Club in September last year and is relishing the opportunity to learn new business skills in an office environment.
BUSY At Work, Work for the Dole Coordinator, Kristy Gostelow said Darien had performed so well at the club that he was offered a traineeship on 30 January this year and is now studying for his Certificate III in Business.
“The Pioneer Tennis Club is a not-for-profit organisation and was not able to provide the resources needed to keep up with the day-to-day running of the office.”

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today showed that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2017 increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.9 per cent. Queensland observed the largest increase in unemployment rate (0.4 percentage points). Queensland also saw the largest decrease in employment (down 11,500 jobs).

Year 11 and 12 students Ethan Atkins and Zaine Davis have a lot to celebrate after becoming the first ever indigenous school-based trainees to be signed up to the Corroboree attraction at the Dreamworld Amusement Park.
Dreamworld Corroboree showcases Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander history and culture (the world’s oldest living culture) and features over 800 native and barnyard animals located in their natural habitats within the Dreamworld grounds.

It’s been a whirlwind six months for Hotel Houseman Juan Concha since he first connected with BUSY At Work Project Coordinator/Mentor, Valerie Osburn.
During that time Juan’s confidence has grown in leaps and bounds to the point where he now has a part time job and is well on the way to completing his Certificate III in Hospitality.
Such is his remarkable progress Juan has now been nominated for the Queensland Training Awards 2017 Equity VET (Vocational Education and Training) Student of the Year Award. The award recognises people who have overcome significant barriers or disadvantage to effective participation in vocational education and training.

Recycling E-Hub Mackay and Sarina get locals to donate their used electronic equipment rather than dumping as landfill.
Around 30 Work for the Dole participants have been involved in dismantling computers, photocopiers and printers over the past 5 months and rebuilding them into fully functioning 3D printers.

The $20,000 Youth Boost payment has been an integral part of the government’s $100 million Back to Work Program which has seen 2,323 Queenslanders employed by 1,090 regional businesses.
The Youth Boost payment is specifically targeted towards employers who hire unemployed youth aged between 15 to 24 in the eligible regions of Far North Queensland, North Queensland, Mackay/Whitsunday, Central Queensland, Wide Bay Burnett North West and South West.
BUSY At Work CEO, Paul Miles said the extension of the Youth Boost payment will allow more regional businesses to take on young unemployed youth.

There’s several thousand good reasons to take on a bricklayer apprentice! Federal Government are offering $9,000 in incentives and ABBTF are offering an additional $3,000 Brickstart Subsidy.

Mature age employee Dianne Smith has never been one to shy away from hard work.
The Cairns local had been previously unemployed for two years in Melbourne but has now found her feet in the tropical north after securing full time work in a field she has always enjoyed.
With the help of CoAct BUSY At Work Employment Consultant, Jessica Campbell and Placement Officer, jobactive, Jason Meyer, Dianne is now working 40 hours a week as a cleaner with respected local business, Abelia Cleaning.

The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for the vocational education and training (VET) sector, recognising individuals, businesses and registered training organisations for their contribution to skilling Australia – Applications close Wednesday 31 May 2017

Mackay local Darien Andrews is positive proof that being a participant in a Working for the Dole (WfD) program can be a meaningful and life changing experience.
The 21 year old signed up for a Work for the Dole activity at the Pioneer Tennis Club in September last year and is relishing the opportunity to learn new business skills in an office environment.
BUSY At Work, Work for the Dole Coordinator, Kristy Gostelow said Darien had performed so well at the club that he was offered a traineeship on 30 January this year and is now studying for his Certificate III in Business.
“The Pioneer Tennis Club is a not-for-profit organisation and was not able to provide the resources needed to keep up with the day-to-day running of the office.”

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today showed that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2017 increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.9 per cent. Queensland observed the largest increase in unemployment rate (0.4 percentage points). Queensland also saw the largest decrease in employment (down 11,500 jobs).

Year 11 and 12 students Ethan Atkins and Zaine Davis have a lot to celebrate after becoming the first ever indigenous school-based trainees to be signed up to the Corroboree attraction at the Dreamworld Amusement Park.
Dreamworld Corroboree showcases Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander history and culture (the world’s oldest living culture) and features over 800 native and barnyard animals located in their natural habitats within the Dreamworld grounds.

It’s been a whirlwind six months for Hotel Houseman Juan Concha since he first connected with BUSY At Work Project Coordinator/Mentor, Valerie Osburn.
During that time Juan’s confidence has grown in leaps and bounds to the point where he now has a part time job and is well on the way to completing his Certificate III in Hospitality.
Such is his remarkable progress Juan has now been nominated for the Queensland Training Awards 2017 Equity VET (Vocational Education and Training) Student of the Year Award. The award recognises people who have overcome significant barriers or disadvantage to effective participation in vocational education and training.