Federal jobs scheme hits one million milestone

More than a million Australians have been assisted into employment under the government’s jobactive scheme.

Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash will today announce more than a million Australians have been ­assisted into employment under the government’s jobactive scheme, with nearly 80 per cent placed into permanent positions.

The under-30s are the group to benefit most with 42.3 per cent obtaining work, followed by those aged in their 30s at 22.2 per cent and those in their 40s at 20.2 per cent.

A breakdown of the scheme shows that 26 weeks after gaining employment through the program, about one-third of participants (38.6 per cent) remained with the same employer while others had either moved on to other jobs or ceased working.

The statistics show the “success rate” at 62.1 per cent after four weeks and 54.8 per cent at the end of 12 weeks before dropping to 38.6 at 26 weeks at which point monitoring ceases.

Under the scheme, 65.8 per cent of job placements have been in metropolitan areas and 34.2 per cent per cent have been in the ­regions with the most popular ­industry sectors for jobs including accommodation and food services, retail and construction.

The gender breakdown shows 60.3 per cent of placements have gone to men while 39.7 per cent have gone to women with 9 per cent being of indigenous background and 17.1 per cent living with a disability.

Nearly half of those placed into jobs under the scheme (48.3 per cent) had been unemployed for fewer than 12 months, while those who had been unemployed between 12-24 months made up 20.8 per cent of placements. The vast majority of ­people, 79 per cent, were placed in permanent positions. Only 13.4 per cent were moved into temporary positions while 7.6 per cent were on contracts.

Senator Cash will make the announcement in Perth today, saying that by reaching one million job placements the government was “succeeding in our goal to get more Australians than ever before into work”.

“Getting a job changes ­people’s lives — the jobactive program is making a real difference for many Australians by giving them support to get a foot in the door and back into work,” she told The Australian.

“The best form of welfare is a job — I look forward to more great outcomes for Australians as a result of jobactive and our other employment programs.’’

Corey Grafen, 23, employed at the Erindale Vikings Club in Canberra’s south since last October is a beneficiary of the scheme.

“It’s actually my first job as a bartender. My previous job was a kitchen hand,” he told The Australian. “I was looking for work for about four to five years.”