An initiative based at the Wyndham Community and Education Centre has helped more than 70 people break through barriers to finding employment.
The work@west project, which began in October, is part of the wider Jobs Victoria network and is funded by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources.
The work@west project is run by the centre (also known as WCEC), the Westgate Community Initiatives Group and Djerriwarrh Community and Education Services.
Jobs Victoria employment coach Craig Spicer said that since November, work@west had placed 73 people into jobs.
Under the program, Fresh Select Farms and Fragapane Farms in Werribee South, along with Vertech Hume in Werribee, have taken on workers.
KR Castlemaine Meats has taken on about 17 employees from the western suburbs who come from Burma.
WCEC chief operating officer John Sheen said work@west staff members dealt with both employers and jobseekers.
He said they assisted jobseekers who might find it difficult to access employment websites or to work without assistance, including the long-term unemployed, former refugees, asylum seekers, mature-aged people, retrenched workers from the automotive industry and other fields, single parents, young people and indigenous Australians.
“Our consortium focuses on the western suburbs,” Mr Sheen said. “The main focus is to get local people into local jobs.
“Jobs include labourers, meat processors, farming work, clerical … two long-term unemployed people we have assisted now have management positions.”
West@work is looking for more employers who want to find workers.
Details: wyndhamcec.org.au/jven.html or 9742 4013
