NT Govt puts up $2m for Critical Worker Support package

The NT Government is putting $2 million on the table to entice people to the Territory to fill a critical worker shortage in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

The NT Government is putting $2 million on the table to entice people to the Territory to fill a critical worker shortage in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

The support package has won industry backing and will go live on Territory Budget Day on May 4.

NT Jobs and Training Minister Paul Kirby said the $2 million, which will cover 1000 workers, is designed to boost skills and job opportunities for Territorians and attract workers to the Territory.

Travel and accommodation reimbursements and upskilling opportunities are among a variety of incentives and initiatives.

MORE TOP NEWS:

WorkSafe allege man left without hospital treatment for six days after drum explosion

Named and shamed: Territory drivers who broke the law revealed

Woman killed in single vehicle crash along Stuart Highway

Hospitality NT chief executive officer Alex Bruce said he expected industry will be pleased with the initiatives to improve opportunities for Territory job seekers.

These include:

• Free short courses for Responsible Service of Alcohol, Housekeeping and Tour Guiding.
• Increased opportunities to match apprentices to employers through Apprentice Fairs, aiming to fill the approximately 200 vacancies that exist for apprentices and trainees in the hospitality industry.
• English literacy training for hospitality and tourism workers.

“Free training for Territorians is a great incentive,” Mr Bruce said. “And hopefully interstate workers will be attracted by what the NT Government has put on the table for them.”

This includes:

• The Territory-Stay, Work and Play” initiative will provide a payment of up to $1500 to local businesses to help cover costs associated with attracting a new employee. These payments will be made on a per new employee basis, with businesses able to claim up to $20,000 in total.

Mr Bruce praised the government for being at the “forefront of helping Territory workers”.

“We did a survey and have identified thousands of positions available, from full time, to part time, apprentices, trainee positions and this response by government is a step in the right direction to alleviate the problem,” he said. “First and foremost we want locals and we want to train and upskill them and this package helps that.

“We are also aggressively targeting interstate workers and the package helps that also.”