Pre-Employment Program

The Program• Partnership between Sydney Metro Northwest and contractors, TAFE and NSW

Jobactive providers

• Program funded by Jobactive through Commonwealth Department of Employment

• MoU’s - Sydney Metro NW with TAFE WSi and Jobactive lead provider

• Three week program delivering employability and technical skills for identified job functions including precast manufacture and general civils roles

• Program content designed by Sydney Metro NW contractors working with TAFE

• Nationally accredited units of competence and licences

• Initial candidate selection - Jobactive

• Initial assessment and screening – Jobactive, TAFE and potential employers

• Program delivery TAFE, with site visits by host employers

• Job applications and interviews within two weeks with identified contractors/ supply chain

• Successful applicants supported by in- work mentors and Jobactive provider

• Unsuccessful applicants supported to apply for other job vacancies or further training

• 5th cohort commences August 2015

Statistics

0

10

20

30

40

50

Completions Non-completions

Nu

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of

Stu

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Total Completions

47%

16%

31%

4%2%

Students by LLN needs

Nil

English second language

Needs additional support

Has a learning disability

Mental Illness

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

18-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 51+

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of

Stu

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Age Range (years)

Students by Age Range

Statistics

23%

67%

3%7%

Employed Students by Industry

Construction

Pre-cast

Waste Management

Retail

Statistics

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Working Not working Pending finalinterview (P)

Attended firstinterview (I)

Further study (F)

Nu

mb

er

of

Stu

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nts

Working Status

The human side of the statisticsCase 1

• 29 year old male

• Unemployed 181 weeks (3.5 years)

Barriers to employment included:

• Reported to suffer severe stress and

anxiety

• Felt rejected and inadequate following 2 unsuccessful attempts to enter the Defence force and not being able to hold down stable long term employment

The human side of the statistics

Case 1 continued

• Employed 30/3/15

• Has not missed a day at work

JSA reports that he:

• is happy in the job and learning quickly

• appears more confident and less anxious, his mood is much improved

• Is working 5 days a week plus overtime and is enjoying the extra cash and saving for a motorbike

• Feedback from the employer today is that he is doing really well

The human side of the statistics

Case 2• 26 year old male• Unemployed 60 weeks

Barriers to employment• Limited education, left school in Year

9• Lacked confidence at interview due to

education• Financial issues, licence suspended

due to non-payment of fines• At risk of homelessness due to limited

income

The human side of the statisticsCase 2 continued• Employed 13/03/2015• Has not missed a day of work

Jobactive reported that his whole demeanour changed following the course, he was more confident and motivated to work. He was proud of the program and what he had achieved.

He is enjoying the job and feedback from the employer is that he is doing really well, recently promoted to 2IC.

Why the program works

• Partnering with the right people,

Jobactive providers that support

and “get” the program

• “Sponsor Company” is committed

• Setting the expectations at the

Information and Assessment Day

(I&AD)

• Input from the Sponsor Company on the Information and Assessment Day

• Acknowledging that the candidate still needs to be the right person for the job at the end of the program

Why the program works • Designing the program to

focus on the key outcomes of improved communication and teamwork

• Imbedding communication and teamwork into technical skills assessment

• Early morning site visit at the beginning of the program –visual tool & motivation

• Providing job specific support and training in resume and interview preparation

• Broadening recognition of the program and graduates

Information and assessment day• 20 to 25 candidates are selected by Jobactive providers for 12

places on the program

• An overview of the Sydney Metro Northwest project is presented by a JV representative (Sponsor Company)

• An overview of the potential jobs, their location, site expectations, hours of work etc. is presented by the potential employer (Labour Hire Company)

• 5 activity stations are set up for candidates to work through:

– Small group interviews conducted by Employer & Sponsor company

– 2 x Language, Literacy & Numeracy assessments

– Course Information

– Jobactive Information

Expectations and commitmentProgram Partners• Clear and consistent communication• If you say it do it – often these guys have been let down

enough• Communicate non-attendance and class issues immediately

and take action • Sponsor interviews need to be within 7 days of graduation• Interview feedback needs to be within 48 hours• Networks for other opportunities needs to be strong and

acted on promptly• Regular contact and feedback to candidates to maintain level

of engagement • Weekly contact with successful candidates once on the job

Expectations and commitment

Participants

• Zero tolerance Drug & Alcohol – tested prior to

attending the program

• 100% attendance

• 100% punctuality

• 100% participation

• They are expected to contact the teacher on their mobile before there is an issue

Wider impact

Location of participants working outside of the project include:• Career Connections –Precast yards in Southern &

Western Sydney• Skilled – Emu Plains• Telum – Homebush yard• Daracon – Traineeships• Rocla• Solveco• IKEA

Opportunities to expand• Sydney Metro Northwest

– General civils roles– Formwork– Bridge – working at heights– Operations, trains and systems

contractor

• Sydney Metro City and Southwest

• National Precast Concrete Association Australia & their members including:– Hansons – Reinforced Earth – Ultrafloor

• Major commercial construction companies• Retail & Hospitality industry• Sydney major infrastructure projects

- WestConnex- Sydney Light Rail