REGIONAL EDUCATION, SKILLS AND JOBS PLAN
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
– MID WEST GASCOYNE
2012 – 2014
JULY 2013
This plan was first published in July 2012. This is the July 2013 edition.
Details in this report are correct at time of drafting.
This report can be found at the Regional Education, Skills and Jobs webpage (www.deewr.gov.au/resj) or the
My Region website (www.myregion.gov.au).
For more information about this plan, please contact:
The Office of Regional Education, Skills and Jobs
GPO Box 9880
Canberra ACT 2601
Email: [email protected]
ISBN:
978-0-642-78691-3 [PDF]
978-0-642-78692-0 [DOCX]
With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms and where otherwise noted all material presented in this
document is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/).
The details of the relevant licence conditions (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/legalcode) are
available on the Creative Commons website (accessible using the links provided) as is the full legal code for the
CC BY 3.0 AU licence.
The document must be attributed as the Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan 2012-14 – Mid West Gascoyne.
Disclaimer about data used in this plan
Data used in the development of this plan comes from a variety of sources and was correct at time of drafting. This
document should not be used as a data source as data referred to may have been updated or reformulated since
the publication of the plan. Refer to primary sources for confirmation of data.
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CONTENTS
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plans ................................................................................ 5
Map of Mid West Gascoyne .................................................................................................... 6
Executive summary ................................................................................................................ 7
Characteristics of the region ................................................................................................. 10
Population ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Indigenous population ........................................................................................................................ 10
Early childhood education and care........................................................................................................ 11
Australian Early Development Index................................................................................................... 11
Child care services ............................................................................................................................... 11
School education ..................................................................................................................................... 12
School attendance .............................................................................................................................. 12
Year 12 attainment ............................................................................................................................. 12
Western Australian Government education sector ............................................................................ 12
Non-government education sector ..................................................................................................... 12
Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreement on Low Socio-economic Status School
Communities ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreement on Literacy and Numeracy .................................. 13
Trade Training Centres in Schools ....................................................................................................... 14
Tertiary education and training .............................................................................................................. 14
Participation in tertiary education and training ................................................................................. 14
Tertiary education options in the region ............................................................................................ 15
Delivery of vocational education and training in the region .............................................................. 15
Jobs, skills and workforce development ................................................................................................. 15
Employment service area.................................................................................................................... 15
Unemployment and participation ....................................................................................................... 16
Registered job seekers ........................................................................................................................ 16
Demand for labour and skills .............................................................................................................. 17
Mid West and Gascoyne workforce development plans .................................................................... 19
Other characteristics ............................................................................................................................... 19
WA Government – SuperTowns .......................................................................................................... 19
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Issues, goals and strategies ................................................................................................... 20
Issue 1
The education and social development of young children. .................................................... 21
Issue 2
Lower than average attendance rates in schools. ................................................................... 22
Issue 3 A need for workforce development to meet the requirements of heightened economic
activity in the region. .............................................................................................................................. 23
Issue 4
High unemployment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ......................... 24
Issue 5
Low completion rates for apprentices. ................................................................................... 25
Issue 6
Low levels of literacy and numeracy and Year 12 completion. ............................................... 26
Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 27
Appendix A — Stakeholders.................................................................................................................... 27
Appendix B — Existing related plans and strategies ............................................................................... 28
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... 29
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REGIONAL EDUCATION, SKILLS AND JOBS PLANS
The Australian Government announced the Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plans initiative in the
2011–12 Budget, as part of the Building Australia’s Future Workforce package. The initiative addresses
four key areas of the Australian Government’s productivity and social inclusion agendas: early childhood
education and care; Year 12 attainment; participation in vocational and higher education; and local job
opportunities.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has deployed 34 Regional
Education, Skills and Jobs (RESJ) Coordinators to work with local stakeholders to develop Regional
Education, Skills and Jobs Plans for the 46 Regional Development Australia (RDA) areas that cover nonmetropolitan Australia.
The plans present locally identified opportunities and challenges and outline local strategies to improve
education, skills and jobs outcomes in regional Australia.
For more information, including the contact details of your local RESJ Coordinator, please refer to the
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs webpage at www.deewr.gov.au/resj.
Strategies
Each plan reflects community priorities and includes goals and local strategies to achieve the
community’s objectives, based on four key themes: early childhood education and care; school
education; tertiary education and training; and jobs, skills and workforce development.
The plans build on the range of services and programs already offered by DEEWR and the strategies draw
on the programs of other government agencies and the opportunities arising from major local projects.
Community engagement
The plans were developed by RESJ Coordinators with close community engagement and include views
from young people, parents, employers, educators, service providers, peak bodies, community leaders,
government organisations and agencies, and other interested individuals and organisations. The plans
draw strongly upon existing strategic plans in each region, including the local RDA regional plan.
DEEWR acknowledges the traditional owners of the Mid West Gascoyne RDA region and their elders past
and present recognising their continuing connection to country. This plan strives to build and harness
mutually respectful relationships and reflect community priorities in education, skills and jobs
development for the region.
Implementation
The RESJ Coordinator, on behalf of DEEWR, will oversee the implementation of the strategies and
promote and coordinate linkages between the government agencies, providers and stakeholders
involved in this plan’s implementation.
Progress towards achieving the goals within each plan will be closely monitored, while stakeholders will
be kept informed through participation in plan strategies.
This edition incorporates strategies that respond to changes in local circumstances identified through
continuing community input or changing government priorities in regional Australia as well as access to
new data. The plans continue to be living and responsive documents that will be revisited throughout
their implementation to June 2014.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 5
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MAP OF MID WEST GASCOYNE
Source: Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Mid West Gascoyne RDA region of Western Australia is situated about three and a half hours drive
north of Perth. It shares boundaries with the Pilbara, Goldfields-Esperance and Wheatbelt regions. This
Regional Development Australia (RDA) region is split into the Mid West, with Geraldton as its main
centre, and the Gascoyne, with Carnarvon as its main centre. The Indian Ocean Territories area also
forms part of the region; lying over 2500 kilometres from Perth, it incorporates the Christmas and Cocos
(Keeling) islands.
The region comprises 21 Local Government Areas: Greater Geraldton, Meekatharra, Cue, Mount Magnet,
Murchison, Wiluna, Yalgoo, Sandstone, Chapman Valley, Irwin, Northampton, Carnamah, Coorow,
Mingenew, Morawa, Perenjori, Three Springs, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay and Upper Gascoyne and
the Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and Cocos Islands.
Based on a comprehensive environmental scan and community consultations, the key education, skills
and jobs challenges identified for the region include:
 the education and social development of young children
 lower than average attendance rates in schools
 a need for workforce development to meet the requirements of heightened economic activity in
the region
 high unemployment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
 lower than average completion rates for apprentices
 low levels of literacy and numeracy skills and Year 12 completion.
The key goals of this RESJ Plan include:
 increased awareness of projects and funding opportunities to improve results in early childhood
education learning opportunities
 support early childhood education and care providers to meet the needs of the community and
the National Quality Framework reforms
 collaborate with education service providers to identify strategies to increase school attendance
rates
 developing strategies to meet the emerging skill and labour shortages in the region
 supporting the goals of the Mid West Development Commission and Gascoyne Development
Commission workforce development plans
 promoting employment opportunities to local job seekers within the region
 increasing employment outcomes for local Indigenous people
 increasing the completion rate of apprentices within the Mid West Gascoyne region
 increase the skills of local job seekers to support increased opportunities for employment.
The Australian Government is a major stakeholder in education, skills and jobs in regional Australia, with
significant investments in early childhood, schools, training, higher education and employment services
connecting employers with job seekers in regional labour markets.
Through the Council of Australian Governments, collaborative arrangements between Australian and
Western Australian Governments are formed to pursue common interests and goals, including efforts to
lift productivity and social inclusion. These activities are developed and implemented through a
framework of national partnership agreements.
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Closing the Gap is a commitment by the Australian Government to improve the lives of Indigenous
Australians, in particular providing a better future for Indigenous children. DEEWR has direct
responsibility for targets relating to improved Indigenous early childhood, education and employment
outcomes.
The Mid West Gascoyne region is on the cusp of substantial growth; a number of new mining operations
have either commenced, are under construction or are in the planning stages. The increase in mining
activity is expected to generate new economic activity and job creation in all sectors.
The changing landscape will allow local people to participate in the economy where opportunities do not
currently exist. Disadvantaged job seekers will require intensive pre-employment support to take up job
opportunities; some other people will need to be up skilled to meet the needs of industry. The rise of FlyIn Fly-Out and Drive-In Drive-Out opportunities will require some adjustments within the community,
and there will be increasing pressure for workers to become more mobile.
Skills development is emerging as a major focus for the region, not just for the mining sector but also for
other sectors experiencing growth such as health, retail and agriculture and fishing. A comprehensive
regional response incorporating trade training centres, state training providers and other training
facilities is required to meet the demands of industry growth.
RDA Mid West Gascoyne has a committee with a broad plan including education, skills and employment
opportunities. This RESJ Plan complements the existing goals and strategies in the RDA Plan.
The State Government of Western Australia has established the Mid West and Gascoyne Regional
Development Commissions (RDCs). These state government statutory authorities strive to encourage the
sustainable development of Western Australia’s Mid West Gascoyne region. The RDCs’ operations are
overseen by a community-based board and function under the provisions of the Regional Development
Commissions Act 1993 (WA).
The work of both RDCs informs the Western Australian Government’s investment planning and project
development, including activities undertaken through the Royalties for Regions fund. Royalties for
Regions distributes the equivalent of 25 per cent of the mining and onshore petroleum royalties
collected by the Western Australian Government as an additional investment in projects, infrastructure
and community services to regional areas.
During the implementation of this RESJ Plan, DEEWR will continue to work with the state and local
governments; as well as non-government stakeholders in the community. In particular, the RESJ
Coordinator will:
 work in conjunction with RDA Mid West Gascoyne and the Mid West and Gascoyne RDCs
towards the achievement of the economic and social priorities noted in their respective strategic
plans
 work in collaboration with existing working groups, steering committees and other parties in the
region who are identifying and addressing local issues that impact on education, skills and jobs
 enhance existing efforts by providers delivering services in the region on behalf of the Australian
Government to increase and/or improve education, skills and jobs outcomes in the local
community.
It is expected that through strong and productive partnerships, the broader community will realise more
opportunities and maximise the benefits of living, learning and working in the Mid West Gascoyne.
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Some outcomes achieved by the RESJ Coordinator working with local stakeholders include:

Worked with an employer in the resources sector to help them meet their workforce needs,
including linking them with Job Services Australia providers in the region who worked
collaboratively with the employer to develop a flexible training model which has provided
training and support to 14 Indigenous job seekers, preparing them for work in the resources
sector.

Hosted an Early Childhood Education and Care Industry Roundtable to identify local challenges
and opportunities for the sector to meet the workforce requirements of the National Quality
Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. This roundtable promoted Government
initiatives available to support existing workers to upskill, as well as strategies to build the
workforce through new entrants. In response to employers identifying literacy and numeracy as
an issue in the workforce, the Workplace English Language and Literacy Program is being
considered for incorporation into training for existing workers in the region through Recognition
of Prior Learning assessments and people undertaking qualifications to enter the sector.

Organised and held a forum on workforce planning and the National Workforce Development
Fund in November 2012 with the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council for local
stakeholders in the aged and community care sector. This forum assisted stakeholders identify
their workforce needs and challenges, improved their awareness of funding programs available
and identified outlined strategies to meet their workforce needs.

Identified and developed four Parental and Community Engagement program activities which
will assist around 60 parents and children in Geraldton, Kalbarri and Morawa/Perenjori. These
activities will engage the parents and communities in their children’s schooling education by
helping them to connect with schools, build relationships with principals and teachers and help
children and young people learn at home.

Presented at consultation sessions in the four remote regions in the Mid-West Gascoyne where
the Remote Jobs Communities Program (RJCP) will commence from 1 July 2013. These
consultation sessions provided a forum for engagement with the community and potential
program providers about the elements of the RJCP, eligibility for organisations to express an
interest, the role and expectations of the provider in the program and how it is expected to
benefit the remote regions.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE REGION
This section sets out the characteristics of the region identified through a comprehensive environmental
scan and local consultations. The information detailed in this section is not exhaustive of the
characteristics of the region, but provides an overview and insight to some of the challenges facing the
region.
To guide the RESJ Coordinator’s identification of issues and engagement with the community, various
data sets have supported the development of this plan. Data used in the development of this plan was
sourced from DEEWR, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and other relevant sources. Data referred to
may have been reformulated and was correct at time of drafting. Different data sets are refreshed at
different intervals, for example, unemployment rates are updated monthly for national and
state/territory figures and quarterly for regions.
Population
In 2011 the Mid West Gascoyne region had an estimated population of 67,839 people, up from 57,432 in
2006. The Western Australian Department of Regional Development and Lands estimates that around
70 per cent of residents in the Mid West and Gascoyne live in the City of Greater Geraldton, with
62.5 per cent of residents in the Gascoyne living in the Shire of Carnarvon. According to the 2011 Census,
Christmas Island had a population of 2072 and Cocos (Keeling) Islands had a population of 550. The
average age on the islands is similar to the national average age.
Nearly 54 per cent of the total population in the region are aged between 20 and 60 years and
approximately 30 per cent are aged 19 years or younger. Residents aged in their twenties often leave the
region, typically for post-school training and employment.
According to the 2011 Census, the median age in the Mid West Gascoyne is 38 years (22 years for
Aboriginal residents). The state median age is 36 years.
Indigenous population
According to the Department of Regional Development and Lands, over 10 per cent of the population of
the Mid West identify as being Indigenous, with over half of these people living in the Shire of
Meekatharra. In the Gascoyne region, over 17 per cent of residents are Indigenous, with the majority
(58%) living in the Shire of Upper Gascoyne.
Major Indigenous communities in the region include:

Burringurrah (Shire of Upper Gascoyne)

Barrel Well (Shire of Northampton)

Yulga Jinna, Karalundi, Madunka Ewurry and Gidgee Gully (Shire of Meekatharra)

Mungullah (Shire of Carnarvon)

Pia Wadjari (Shire of Murchison)

Wandanooka (City of Greater Geraldton).
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The size of the population in Indigenous communities is variable. These communities are from small
outstations to larger centres and their numbers can vary throughout the year. In terms of income levels,
data from the 2011 Census suggests that there is a notable disparity between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous people in the region, especially where the mining sector is active (e.g. Wiluna). In areas
where there are sizeable Indigenous populations, such as Meekatharra, most Indigenous people are on
low incomes.
Early childhood education and care
Australian Early Development Index
The Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) measures young children’s development across five
domains: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, school-based language
and cognitive skills, and general knowledge. 2009 AEDI data indicated at a national level, 23.6 per cent of
children were vulnerable on one or more domain and 11.8 per cent were vulnerable on two or more
domains. The AEDI found in the Mid West Gascoyne RDA region, the communities of Irwin and Shark Bay
had the lowest proportions of vulnerable children for the region, less than the national rates on both
measures. However, the AEDI communities of Wiluna/Meekatharra, Coorow and Exmouth had the
highest proportions of vulnerable children—more than the national averages on both measures.
In the City of Greater Geraldton the results of the AEDI is better overall, however there are some areas of
concern including Rangeway, Utakarra, Spalding and Wonthella, where there are high proportions of
children considered to be developmentally vulnerable in two or more of the five domains.
Child care services
According to the Western Australian Department for Communities, there are approximately 680 long day
care places and 50 outside school hours care places available in the Mid West Gascoyne region, through
17 services at 11 locations.
A number of Parent and Community Engagement (PaCE) programs are being developed within the
Mid West Gascoyne region to address early childhood issues within the Indigenous community.
In November 2012, DEEWR hosted a Midwest Early Childhood Education and Child Care (ECEC) Industry
Roundtable. This event brought together a broad cross-section of stakeholders from the Midwest Child
Care sector, including employment and training providers. At the event participants discussed workforce
challenges and explored opportunities to support the ECEC workforce, to attract educators into the
sector and up-skill existing workers.
Workforce challenges identified during the Roundtable included:

recruitment and retention of early education and child care staff;

linkages between services and training providers; and

ensuring existing staff have current skills (including literacy and numeracy)and qualifications to
meet the needs of the industry.
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School education
School attendance
School attendance in the Mid West Gascoyne region can be examined through figures for the two
subregions. In the Mid West, attendance rates are higher than in the Gascoyne; but in both subregions
school attendance rates are lower than those for regional Australia generally or Australia as a whole.
School attendance in the Midwest Gascoyne region has been raised as an issue of concern. Attendance
rates for schools across the region provided on the My School website indicate that slightly less than one
third of secondary schools achieve over 90 per cent attendance.
Information provided by the WA Department of Education shows that the attendance rates for schools in
the region are below the average attendance rate for all government schools in Western Australia, which
was 92.3 per cent for primary school and 87.7 per cent for high school in 2012.
Year 12 attainment
Information on Year 12 attainment in the Midwest region shows that in some schools there was a large
decrease in student numbers between lower secondary (Years 8 to 10) and higher secondary (Years 11
and 12) from 2009 to 2012, indicating less students remaining in school to complete Year 12.
Western Australian Government education sector
There are about 7200 students enrolled across 46 Western Australian Government schools in the
Mid West Gascoyne region (including kindergarten, primary schools and secondary schools). Schools in
this region are mainly located in town centres, with most services provided in and around the Geraldton
area. Many schools north of Geraldton are identified as being low socio-economic schools under the
National Partnership Agreement. The Indian Ocean Territories area has a district high school situated on
Christmas Island.
Non-government education sector
In 2011 there were 2586 students enrolled across eight Catholic education schools in the Mid West
Gascoyne region (primary and secondary schools). In addition, there were five independent schools with
1178 students enrolled.
Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreement on Low Socio-economic Status School
Communities
The National Partnership Agreement on Low Socio-economic Status School Communities aims to
transform the way schooling takes place in participating schools and addresses the complex challenges
facing students in disadvantaged communities. This is a joint initiative between the Australian
Government, the Western Australian Department of Education, the Catholic Education Office and the
Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia.
These schools are funded to explore innovative measures to improve learning outcomes for students
from disadvantaged backgrounds. Central to these activities are partnerships with parents, other schools
and businesses.
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Table 1: Mid West Gascoyne schools participating in the National Partnership Agreement on
Low Socio-economic Status School Communities initiative.
School
Sector
School
Sector
Bluff Point Primary School
Government
Cue Primary School
Government
Burringurrah Remote Community
Government
Bluff Point Primary School
Government
Carnarvon Christian School
Independent
Carnarvon Primary School
Government
Karalundi Aboriginal Education
Independent
Carnarvon Senior High School
Government
Government
Mount Magnet District High
Government
School
Centre
Mullewa District High School
School
Pia Wadjarri Remote Community
Government
Sandstone Primary School
Government
Rangeway Primary School
Government
Northampton District High School
Government
St John’s School
Catholic
Perenjori Primary School
Government
St Mary Star of the Sea School
Catholic
East Carnarvon Primary School
Government
Wiluna Remote Community School
Government
Meekatharra District High School
Government
Yulga Jinna Remote Community
Government
Gascoyne Junction Remote
Government
School
School
Yalgoo Primary School
Community School
Government
Beachlands Primary School
Government
Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreement on Literacy and Numeracy
The Australian Government is providing $243.9 million for a new National Partnership on Improving
Literacy and Numeracy (ILNNP) to support participating schools during the 2013 school year. The ILNNP
aims to improve the outcomes of students, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds and
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, who are falling behind in literacy and numeracy. It will
sustain the momentum of the initial Literacy Numeracy National Partnership (which concluded in
December 2012) and support states and territories to expand the implementation of proven effective
literacy and numeracy strategies in schools where under-performance persists.
Participating schools are being finalised with state/territory and non-government education authorities.
The new National Partnership will also support the ongoing expansion of the Teach Learn Share Evidence
Base, which is becoming a valuable online repository, providing a national platform for educators to
share their effective approaches to literacy and numeracy teaching and learning.
Participating schools in the region are Geraldton Grammar School, Leaning Tree Community School,
Strathalbyn Christian College, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, St Lawrence’s School and Allendale
Primary School.
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Trade Training Centres in Schools
The Trade Training Centres in Schools Program provides funds for major capital works, upgrade of
existing facilities and industry standard equipment. The program allows secondary students to access
vocational education and training, providing them with a broader range of options and enhanced
pathways into vocational careers.
This program has provided funding for the following:

in Round One, Christmas Island District High School received support to enable the delivery of
manufacturing qualifications. Funding was allocated for the construction of a new engineering
workshop

in Round Two, Geraldton Senior High School received funding to construct a purpose-designed
facility to deliver qualifications in metals engineering, electrical and laboratory skills. The centre
is servicing a cluster of schools (Dongara District High School, Geraldton Grammar School,
Holland Street School, John Willcock College, Kalbarri District High School, Mullewa District High
School, Nagle College, Northampton District High School and Strathalbyn Christian College). This
Trade Training Centre is due to open in 2013

in Round Three, funding was allocated for the construction of two purpose-designed trade
training (metal welding and fabrication) facilities at Carnarvon Senior High School and at
Exmouth District High School. Other schools involved are Burringurrah Remote Community
School, Shark Bay School and St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic School

in Round Four, the establishment of the Morawa Regional Trade Training Centre (involving the
Western Australian College of Agriculture, Meekatharra District High School, Morawa District
High School and Mount Magnet District High School). The Trade Training Centre includes the
construction of an automotive workshop, an engineering workshop, an agriculture facility, a
mobile training unit and also the provision of equipment across three sites within the cluster. It
will deliver qualifications in agriculture, automotive and engineering to address skills shortages in
agriculture and in the trades of diesel motor mechanic, metal fabricator and sheetmetal worker.
Tertiary education and training
Participation in tertiary education and training
According to the 2011 Census, the participation rates in tertiary education and training for the Mid West
Gascoyne (3-4%) are significantly lower than that for Western Australia (13.5%) and Australia as a whole
(14.3%). This includes people attending tertiary education through universities as well as vocational
education and training with registered training organisations (including State Training Providers) and
other tertiary educational institutions.
The lower rates can partly be explained by the labour market feeding the resource sector’s high demand
for tradespeople and people such as plant operators who do not require tertiary education
qualifications.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 14
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Tertiary education options in the region
There are two options for tertiary education within the region. The Geraldton Universities Centre
partners with a number of universities, including Curtin, Central Queensland and Charles Sturt
universities. Bachelor degrees offered include nursing, accounting, business, psychology, communication
(journalism) and education management. In 2013, two new associate degrees will be introduced, these
are in Engineering (Civil) and Construction. The university also offers bridging courses and
undergraduate, postgraduate and community extension programs.
The Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health is designed to increase and improve experiences for
students in the health profession, including medical, nursing and allied health undergraduate and
postgraduate students. The university does not run its own courses; it supports students undertaking
studies at the five universities in Western Australia.
Delivery of vocational education and training in the region
Durack Institute of Technology is the major provider of vocational education and training in the
Mid West Gascoyne region. It has its main training base in Geraldton, with other campuses in Carnarvon
and Exmouth.
As the major training provider in the region, the institute provides a wide variety of courses and includes
training for apprentices. Attached to the college is the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute, which provides
marine, aquaculture and environmental and science programs. The institute supports training in offshore
services for the resources sector.
Jobs, skills and workforce development
Employment service area
The region is mostly covered by the Mid West and Gascoyne Employment Service Area (ESA). The Shire
of Wiluna is outside of this area, and is within the Goldfields ESA.
Commencing on 1 July 2013, the new Remote Jobs and Communities Program will provide a more
integrated and flexible approach, providing better participation and employment services for people
living in remote areas of Australia. The new service will become the ‘one stop shop’ for people in remote
Australia currently being assisted by Job Services Australia, Disability Employment Services, the
Indigenous Employment Program and the Community Development Employment Projects program. The
new regions for RJCP are:

Christmas-Cocos Island

Midwest-West

Gascoyne

Midwest-East.
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Unemployment and participation
DEEWR data, as at December 2012, indicates that unemployment in the Mid West and Gascoyne ESA,
which covers most of the region’s labour force, is 2.7 per cent. This compares to 4.3 per cent for Western
Australia as a whole and 5.4 per cent nationally. The average duration of unemployment for job seekers
is 31 months, a slight increase from the previous 12 months when the average was 28 months.
Table 2 provides further detail on unemployment rates as at September 2012. Despite low levels of
unemployment across the region, there are pockets of high unemployment.
Table 2: Unemployment rates for Local Government Areas in the Mid West Gascoyne region
Labour Force and Unemployment information for Mid West Gascoyne
Unemployment rate
(%)
% change in past
12 months
Labour force size
Meekatharra (S)
9.0
-4.3
632
Upper Gascoyne (S)
6.9
-4.2
204
Mount Magnet (S)
7.5
-2.8
280
Sandstone (S)
7.1
-2.7
84
Yalgoo (S)
5.9
-2.0
170
Murchison (S)
5.6
-1.3
89
Carnarvon (S)
4.1
-2.5
3738
Wiluna (S)
4.1
-2.3
583
Cue (S)
3.6
-1.1
196
Mullewa (S)
4.0
-0.6
600
Geraldton (C)
2.7
-1.5
11,355
Greenough Pt A (S)
2.6
-1.4
8710
Local government area
S = shire
Source: DEEWR Small Area Labour Markets data, September 2012.
Registered job seekers
There are four Job Services Australia (JSA) providers operating within the Mid West Gascoyne region;
Skill Hire WA Pty Ltd, MAX Employment (Wiluna only), Salvation Army and Mission Australia.
According to DEEWR figures, there are currently about 3300 registered job seekers in the Mid West
Gascoyne region with an average age of 36 years. The vast majority of these job seekers live in and
around Geraldton. Over two-thirds of all registered job seekers in the Mid West Gascoyne region are
assessed by either the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) or their JSA provider as being
disadvantaged and having multiple barriers to employment. For example, there are significant numbers
of job seekers who are aged 21 years or below and/or who are ex-offenders. Nearly three-quarters of job
seekers in the region have not completed Year 12, and a fifth of job seekers have not completed Year 10.
Therefore, the majority of job seekers in the region require pre-employment support and training in
order to be work-ready. It also suggests that they may need assistance to capitalise on opportunities for
highly skilled jobs in the resources sector.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 16
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Over half of all job seekers in the region are Indigenous people, of which over a third are living in
Geraldton.
Four providers in the region provide services under the Disability Employment Services program;
Advanced Personnel Management, Skill Hire WA Pty Ltd, CRS Australia and Geraldton Personnel. The
program provides individualised support for eligible job seekers.
A recent forum of employers, employment service providers, RTOs and local Indigenous leaders found
that there is a need for increased mentoring in the workplace.
Demand for labour and skills
The 2011 Census showed that the industry sectors employing the highest proportions of workers in the
Mid West Gascoyne region are agriculture, forestry and fishing and retail. The government services
sector (i.e. health, education, public administration and safety) and construction are also significant
sources of local employment.
There are a number of emerging opportunities in the region that are likely to create job opportunities.
These include:

the planned Oakajee deep water port, industrial estate and railway development (currently on
hold);

the potential expansion of the region’s iron ore operations;

the staged development of a new 330 kilowatt power line to support regional major iron ore
projects;

construction of a new power station in Carnarvon; and

development in Morawa, which is identified as a SuperTowns town, as part of the Western
Australian Government’s Royalties for Regions scheme.
With the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector being a prominent source of employment and new
mining and construction activities creating many local job opportunities, there are large numbers of local
people employed as labourers and in technical and trades positions. The government services sector and
other industries also employ many managers, professionals and clerical and administrative workers.
Table 3 provides some further detail.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 17
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Table 3: Types of jobs in which local people are employed
Number of persons employed by occupation
Occupations
Number
Managers
4460
Technicians and trades workers
5153
Labourers
3752
Professionals
3903
Clerical and administrative workers
3422
Machinery operators and drivers
3215
Community and personal service workers
2710
Sales workers
2254
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011 Census data.
DEEWR has undertaken a survey of employers’ recruitment experiences for the region for the 12 months
to May 2011. This activity involved over 301 employers and sought to understand employers’ recent
recruitment experiences and future plans for recruitment and to identify skills and labour shortages
associated with particular occupations.
The survey results showed that employers have experienced high levels of recruitment difficulty, with
relatively low levels of competition for vacancies. This was particularly evident amongst employers
recruiting for community and personal services workers, machinery operators, drivers and technicians
and trades workers.
Despite these difficulties, most employers managed to fill their vacancies. This required hiring some
applicants that did not possess all of the desired attributes, with employers reporting that at least onequarter of all vacancies were filled by job seekers requiring training, experience and development.
For all occupation groups, employers cited the main reasons for their inability to fill vacancies as lack of
applicants; transport and remoteness issues; a lack of experience and technical skills; and a lack of basic
work readiness among applicants.
Employers indicated that a significant reason for recruitment during the period was to replace staff
rather than to increase the workforce. This is particularly the case in industries with high turnover rates
such as accommodation and food services.
At this stage there is no planned extension to the mining licence on Christmas Island. There are ongoing
discussions about reinvigorating the tourism sector in the Indian Ocean Territories but there is no
concrete investment at this stage. The Christmas Island labour market consists mainly of employment in
the phosphate mine, community infrastructure and government. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands has limited
employment opportunities for residents.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 18
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Mid West and Gascoyne workforce development plans
The Mid West and Gascoyne Development Commissions are developing Workforce Development Plans.
These plans due for release during 2013. The RESJ Coordinator will continue to work with the
Development Commissions to ensure Commonwealth programs are promoted and utilised.
Other characteristics
WA Government – SuperTowns
The Western Australian Government has established its SuperTowns (Regional Centres Development
Plan) initiative under Royalties for Regions. It encourages regional communities in the southern half of
the state to plan for the future and position themselves to pursue opportunities created by population
growth in Western Australia.
The Western Australian Government’s vision for SuperTowns is to create ‘balanced communities’, with
lifestyle options and access to services. SuperTowns will have affordable, quality housing and a diverse
range of job opportunities; offering more attractive, alternative options for people to live in regional
areas rather than in the Perth metropolitan area. In the Mid West Gascoyne region, Morawa is identified
as a SuperTown.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 19
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ISSUES, GOALS AND STRATEGIES
This section sets out the issues and goals identified through local consultation. It also details the specific
strategies that will help achieve the community’s objectives. The issues and strategies will be reviewed
and may be modified throughout the implementation of the plan to June 2014 to ensure they respond to
emerging issues and opportunities or changing community or government priorities in the Mid West
Gascoyne RDA region.
The programs and stakeholders listed in the following tables are indicative only. Both may vary over time
and any listing does not guarantee either the availability of program funding or stakeholder involvement.
Colour codes indicate how each issue relates to the four key themes of the Regional Education, Skills and
Jobs Plans initiative:
Early childhood education and care
School education
Tertiary education and training
Jobs, skills and workforce development
The numbering of each issue is for ease of reference only and does not indicate its priority within the
region. They are generally sequenced according to the life cycle of the four key themes listed above.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 20
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Issue 1
Goals:
The education and social development of young children.

Increased awareness of projects and funding opportunities to improve results in
early childhood education learning opportunities.

Early childhood education and care providers meet the needs of the community
and the National Quality Framework reforms.
Early childhood education
and care
Jobs, skills and workforce
development
School education
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs








Raise awareness of the Australian Early
Development Index (AEDI):
o identify stakeholders within the region who
would benefit from knowledge of the AEDI
o organise professional development (e.g.
workshops, forums)
o liaise with the WA Department of Education
AEDI section.
Work with the AEDI coordinators and local
champions to identify possible projects.
Following from the Early Years Education and Care
Roundtable held in November 2012, Identify
approaches to address areas of concern and work
with local stakeholders to develop a coordinated
approach to early learning and development and
increase the capacity of the early childhood sector
through the up-skilling of staff.
Participate in local regional networks, where
appropriate and contribute to regional workforce
development in the area of early childhood
education and care. If no network exists, investigate
the possibility of establishing a network of common
interest. The network could provide support to
meet the requirements of the National Quality
Framework.
Identify opportunities to establish new Parental and
Community Engagement (PaCE) projects in the Mid
West Gascoyne region.
Work with the WA Department for Communities to
raise awareness of and assist in developing
proposals for the Regional Community Child Care
Development Fund under the Royalties for Regions
scheme. Opportunities under this fund include
operational support grants, support for the
inclusion of children with additional needs, strategic
grants and children’s services regional plans.





Department for
Communities (WA)
Department of
Education (WA)
Disability Employment
Services (DES)
providers
Early childhood
education and care
providers
Early Years Network
Job Services Australia
(JSA ) providers








DEEWR child care
sustainability
assistance (and other
child care related
polices)
DES
HECS-HELP
JSA
National Quality
Framework
PaCE
Recognition of Prior
Learning Assessment
Grant
TAFE Fee Waiver
WA Royalties for
Regions – Community
Child Care
Development Fund
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 21
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Issue 2
Lower than average attendance rates in schools.
Goal:
Increased school attendance rates.
School education
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs





Work with service providers to collaboratively
address issues preventing school attendance to
support increased attendance and retention at
school.
Work with the WA Department of Education and
the Youth Connections provider to ensure sufficient
coverage of the entire region.
Identify new Parents and Community Engagement
projects in the Mid West Gascoyne region focusing
on improved attendance.






Association of
Independent Schools
of Western Australia
Catholic Education
Office
Department of
Education (WA)
Geraldton Regional
Community Education
Centre
High Schools
Schools Business
Community
Partnership Broker
Youth Connections
provider


Parents and
Community
Engagement Program
Schools Community
Partnership Brokers
Youth Connections
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 22
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Issue 3
Goals:
A need for workforce development to meet the requirements of
heightened economic activity in the region.

Strategies in place to meet the emerging skill and labour shortages.

The goals of the Mid West and Gascoyne Regional Development Commissions
workforce development plans are supported.

Employment opportunities are promoted to local job seekers within the region.
Tertiary education and
training
School education
Jobs, skills and workforce
development
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs








Participate in the Mid-West Aboriginal and Industry
Development Partnership, Mid West Workforce
Alliance and Gascoyne Workforce Alliance.
Arrange a visit by the DEEWR Labour Market
Research and Analysis Team to present the results
of an employer survey to Mid West Gascoyne
stakeholders.
Attend local industry forums and work with regional
development organisations to educate employers
and industry about the benefits of providing training
to both existing and new employees.
Provide advice and guidance to Job Services
Australia (JSA) and Disability Employment Services
(DES) providers and employers on Australian
Government funding opportunities for training new
entrants to the labour market in positions left
vacant by demand in the resources sector (e.g.
retail, hospitality, aged care and social assistance).
Promote Australian Government Skills Connect to
help connect businesses to a range of workforce
development and skills funding.
Work with each of the Regional Development
Commissions to identify Australian Government
funded programs to deliver on the goals of each of
the workforce plans.





Department of
Industry, Innovation,
Climate Change,
Science, Research and
Tertiary Education
DES providers
Gascoyne
Development
Commission
JSA providers
Mid West
Development
Commission
Mid West Workforce
Alliance







Australian
Government Skills
Connect
DES
Indigenous
Employment Program
JSA
National Workforce
Development Fund
Schools Business
Community
Partnership Brokers
Skills for Education
and Employment
formerly known as
Language, Literacy
and Numeracy
Program
Workplace English
Language and Literacy
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 23
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Issue 4
High unemployment rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people.
Goal:
Increased employment outcomes for local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.
Tertiary education and
training
School education
Jobs, skills and workforce
development
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs






Support the rollout of the Remote Jobs and
Communities Program and identify strategies to link
with future providers.
Work with industry/employers to develop localised
strategies to increase employment opportunities for
Indigenous peoples including, where appropriate,
utilising the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP).
Identify opportunities to improve foundation skills
assistance to industry/employers and liaise with the
Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate
Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education to
utilise the Workplace English Language and Literacy
(WELL) program and the Skills for Education and
Employment (SEE), formerly the Language, Literacy
and Numeracy Program.
Develop a Pilot Mentoring project to assist
supervisors of Indigenous employees to increase
retention rates.





Aboriginal Workforce
Development Centre
Department of
Industry, Innovation,
Climate Change,
Science, Research and
Tertiary Education
Disability
Employment Services
(DES) providers
IEP providers
Job Services Australia
(JSA ) providers
Mid-West Mining,
Aboriginal and
Industry
Development
Partnership





Australian
Government Skills
Connect
DES
IEP
JSA
SEE
WELL
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 24
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Issue 5
Low completion rates for apprentices.
Goal:
Increased completion rate of apprentices within the Mid West Gascoyne region.
Tertiary education and
training
School education
Jobs, skills and workforce
development
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs







Work with local providers of apprenticeship services
and identify the reasons for low completion rates.
Develop strategies to support activities to increase
completion rates.
Promote the national mentoring program to
potential providers of apprenticeship and/or
mentoring services.
Work with trade training centres and Durack
Institute of Technology to support increased workbased literacy and numeracy in schools.




ApprentiCentre
Australian
Apprenticeship
Centres
Department of
Industry, Innovation,
Climate Change,
Science, Research and
Tertiary Education
Industry groups
Chamber of
Commerce and
Industry
Registered training
organisations



Apprenticeships
Access Program
Apprenticeships
Mentoring Program
School-based
Apprenticeships and
Traineeships
Workplace English
Language and Literacy
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 25
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Issue 6
Low levels of literacy and numeracy and Year 12 completion.
Goal:
Increased skills of local job seekers to support increased opportunities for
employment.
Tertiary education and
training
Jobs, skills and workforce
development
Strategies
Stakeholders
Programs








Work with Job Services Australia (JSA) and Disability
Employment Services (DES) providers to identify
collaborative strategies to address barriers to
employment.
Identify appropriate skills training to complement
the above activity and negotiate with registered
training organisations for local delivery of this
training.


DES providers
Indigenous
Employment Program
(IEP) providers
JSA providers
Registered training
organisations

DES
IEP
JSA
Skills for Education
and Employment
formerly known as
Language, Literacy
and Numeracy
Program
Workplace English
Language and Literacy
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 26
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APPENDICES
Appendix A — Stakeholders
Below is a list of organisations consulted during the development of this RESJ Plan, listed by sector.
Stakeholders involved in the RESJ Plan development
Sector
Stakeholder
Local government
Carnarvon; City of Greater Geraldton; Meekatharra; Morawa.
State government
Aboriginal Workforce Development Centre; Department for Communities;
Department of Education; Department of Indigenous Affairs; Department of
Training and Workforce Development; Midwest Workforce Development
Centre.
Australian Government
Department for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs;
Department of Human Services, including Centrelink.
Education
Burringurrah Remote Community School; Carnarvon Senior High School;
Catholic Schools; Department of Education (WA); Geraldton Senior College;
John Willcock College; Meekatharra District High School; Mount Magnet District
High School; Mullewa District High School.
Vocational Education and
Training
Durack Institute of Technology.
Higher education
Geraldton Universities Centre.
Youth
Geraldton Regional Community Education Centre – Youth Connections; Schools
Community Business Partnership Brokers.
Employment
Advanced Personnel Management; CRS Australia; Emu Services; Geraldton
Personnel; Midwest Employment & Economic Development Aboriginal
Corporation; Mission Australia; Salvation Army Employment Plus; Skill Hire WA
Pty Ltd; Wila Gutharra Community Aboriginal Corporation; Yulella.
Indigenous organisations
Carnarvon Aboriginal Congress; Carnarvon Aboriginal Men’s Group; Geraldton
Indigenous Coordination Centre.
Regional development
Gascoyne Development Commission; Mid West Development Commission.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 27
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Appendix B — Existing related plans and strategies
This section includes some of the related strategic plans in the region which have:

influenced the direction of the RESJ Plan

have complementary goals and strategies and/or

have significance in the region in relation to education, skills and jobs.
It provides an overview of how each strategy or plan has had an impact on this RESJ Plan and how it may
be utilised to maximise outcomes.
How it can be
used/linked/expanded
Plan or strategy
Impact on RESJ Plan
Regional Development Australia
(RDA) – Mid West Gascoyne
Strategic Plan 2010–2015
The Mid West Gascoyne Strategic
Plan articulates the region’s
priorities and the framework
within which the RDA operates.
 The goals and strategies
identified in this RESJ Plan will
complement those identified in
the RDA Mid West Gascoyne
Strategic Plan.
Gascoyne Regional Development
Plan 2010–2020
Identifies priorities within the
Gascoyne region in areas of
support services/infrastructure,
education, training and
employment.
A workforce development plan
currently in draft form will provide
an update on workforce
development issues.
 This RESJ Plan complements the
education, training and
employment aspects of the
plan.
 Infrastructure projects outlined
in the plan may provide a
source of employment and skills
development during the
construction phase.
 Improved infrastructure can
lead to greater access and
opportunities to services and
programs.
Royalties for Regions –
SuperTowns
Royalties for Regions investment in
Morawa as a SuperTowns town
may improve child care, education
and training infrastructure as well
as be a source of potential jobs
creation.
 Integrated planning in Morawa
with regard to early childhood,
education and training
infrastructure.
 Infrastructure projects may
provide a source of
employment and skills
development during the
construction phase.
 Expansion of health, education
and community services
infrastructure may provide a
source of longer term
employment in these sectors.
Mid West Investment Plan
This plan identifies a series of
projects that are under
consideration, in planning or
current.
 An understanding of projects
and proposed timeframes can
support workforce planning
needs for the region.
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 28
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ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviation
Full Term
AEDI
Australian Early Development Index
DEEWR
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
DES
Disability Services Australia
ESA
Employment Service Area
IEP
Indigenous Employment Program
ILNNP
National Partnership on Improving Literacy and Numeracy
JSA
Job Services Australia
PaCE
Parent and Community Engagement
RDA
Regional Development Australia
RDCs
Regional Development Commissions
RESJ
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs
RJCP
Remote Jobs and Communities Program
SEE
Skills for Education and Employment
WELL
Workplace English Language and Literacy
Regional Education, Skills and Jobs Plan – Mid West Gascoyne 29
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