The Queensland Government will aim to help more than 24,000 Queensland job-seekers into work with a $104.5 million investment in the 2011-2012 State Budget for the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.

Employment, Skills and Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the funding would provide jobs and training to people facing significant barriers to finding work.

“There’s no doubt that heavy investment in the mining and resource sectors is putting pressure on our workforce,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“The Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative is aimed at helping people who can work, but who face significant barriers when it comes to entering the workforce.

“It’s a $104.5 million investment to get all hands on deck. We’ve helped more than 24,000 people this financial year and I’m pleased to say that help is going to continue.

“Participants get jobs and training in fields like construction, horticulture, retail, hospitality, administration, community services and aged care so they can join the workforce and increase the pool of skilled workers available to industry.

“Many of these projects are also aimed at flood and cyclone recovery so the community is not only receiving a boost in terms of jobs and skills, it’s also benefiting from vital recovery work.”