Government plan to combat loss of 15,000 jobs

A PLAN has been announced to help people overcome the difficulties in finding a job.

The plan proposes short-term actions and long term goals that are measured to keep Northern Rivers residents at work. (Photo by Ludovic Marin)

MORE than 15,000 jobs have been lost in northern NSW since the pandemic began, prompting the government to launch a strategy to get people back into jobs.

Page MP Kevin Hogan and Tim Williamson from RDA Northern Rivers today launched the North Coast NSW Employment Strategy and Action Plan.

One of the actions on the document was My Future Workforce, an online platform to address the issue of connecting with local employers.

The platform will be launched in August and will help address many of the issues raised in the action plan.

Both RDA Northern Rivers and RDA Mid North Coast combined efforts to develop the online

solution.

The plan proposes a structured approach on how to address unemployment in the North Coast Region which includes the forming of a regional board and working groups to implement key strategies and actions.

The document proposed short term actions, such as the establishment of youth reference

and indigenous or specific-needs groups to cater for specific needs.

The plan also proposed the adoption of 2020-2025 goals and measurements regarding employment in the area.

The document also highlights the need to establish industry-specific working parties, “starting with key employing industries most impacted by COVID-19 (eg tourism, construction)”.

It also aims to identify existing geographical industry clusters and facilitate new ones.

PAGE MP Kevin Hogan and Tim Williamson from RDA Northern Rivers launched the North Coast NSW Employment Strategy and Action Plan.

Tim Williamson, Director of Regional Development, RDA Northern Rivers, highlighted the need for a regional plan to prepare for recovery post crisis.

“The strategy encourages new thinking and place-based innovative solutions rather than

programs that are air dropped into a region with a one size fits all approach, that has

occurred in the past,” he said.

Mr Hogan said: “The North Coast Employment Strategy and Action Plan is a first for the North Coast. It is an important guiding strategy that will help the region’s businesses and jobseekers navigate an uncertain future.”