Innovative Queensland Government career information service helps steer career choices
Forty-year-old Trevor Boone from the Brisbane suburb of Hamilton was working full-time and near the end of a part-time Diploma in Business Management when he first visited Skilling Solutions Queensland for information about changing his career.
Minister for Employment, Training and Industrial Relations Tom Barton said Trevor’s story was a good example of how Skilling Solutions Queensland provided useful career information to people who were unsure about where their qualifications were taking them and needed some career guidance.
"Skilling Solutions Queensland is our unique customised face-to-face training and career information service set up by the Queensland Government this year under the ground-breaking SmartVET strategy," Mr Barton said.
Mr Boone, who had been working for the Queensland Government for the past 18 years, said he had always been interested in training and had completed various training courses over the years.
"When I visited Skilling Solutions Queensland at the Logan Hyperdome, I was interested in discovering how the Diploma of Business Management I am just about to complete could be applied to different career options.
"The consultation was very relaxed and informative. I didn’t feel as though I was being rushed. My consultant, Syd, was very helpful and made me feel relaxed and comfortable. She took me through the Ozjac programme for course information then told me about job trends and the prospects of the careers I could choose.
"I had never heard of this type of service before and I think it’s great. Visiting Skilling Solutions Queensland has shown me what type of career I could be working towards, how to get there and what else I could do to improve my career prospects.
"It has been great for my motivation too. I now know what it is I’m working towards and can see some real career opportunities that could come from my completing this qualification.
"I am interested in either becoming a travel agent or teaching English to speakers of other languages. I already tutor English to non-English speakers on a voluntary basis, having completed a short course about seven years ago, but now I know this could be a real career option.
"I would definitely recommend this service to anyone who is considering either advancing or changing their career. I especially appreciated the focused and friendly attention of the consultant," Mr Boone said.
Mr Barton said Skilling Solutions Queensland, which was opened by the Premier in March this year, is a key initiative of the State Government's three-year, $1 billion SmartVET strategy. Initially four service centres were opened, three in Logan City and one at the Open Learning Institute of TAFE at South Brisbane.
"Since then a pilot satellite service has been opened at the Gold Coast TAFE and mobile part-time services have been established in Eagelby, Boonah and Beaudesert.
"The first regional Skilling Solutions Queensland centre was also established in Rockhampton at the Central Queensland Institute of TAFE and was opened in early October 2005.
"Due to its success, planning is underway to expand the service by establishing centres in regional areas, one in the Stocklands Shopping Centre in Rockhampton,†Mr Barton said.
For more information about Skilling Solutions Queensland customer service centres call 1300 654 687 or visit www.skillingsolutions.qld.gov.au.
Media contact: David Brewtnall or Michael O’Meara on (07) 3225 2210