Employment and job assistance

If you are experiencing employment issues there are a number of services available that may be available to support you.

• Are you looking for work, an apprenticeship or a traineeship?
• Are you having trouble paying bills or buying essentials?
• Do you need legal advice?

Employment assistance

If you are looking for work, NSW Government job opportunities [2] are available for people at all stages of their career. Apprenticeships, traineeships and graduate programs may also be available.

If you are about to be retrenched or have become retrenched because of the economic downturn, you may be eligible for skills assessment and training under the Retrenched Workers Training Assistance program. Contact your local State Training Services Centre on 13 28 11 for more information on what training is currently available.

If you are an apprentice or trainee who has been retrenched because of the current economic downturn and you are at risk of losing your placement you can register to be matched to apprenticeship or traineeships jobs available across the State through the Continuing Apprenticeships Placement Service Scheme [3](CAPS). Eligibility criteria apply and relocation assistance might be available. For more information please call 13 28 11.

If you are Aboriginal person and looking for work, want to start or need help with your own business, want to improve your current job situation or is having a hard time coping at work contact an Aboriginal Training Coordinator on 13 28 11. local New Careers for Aboriginal People Officers [4] are available help you. These Officers also work with employers to match vacancies to qualified staff. 

Are you are looking to improve your skills, or learn new ones to help you keep your current job or find a new one? You or the company you work for may be eligible for subsidised training.   Contact your local registered training organisation or State Training Services Regional Centre on 13 28 11 to see what training is available.

If you live in social housing, have been unemployed and are re-entering the workforce the Tenant Employment and Incentive Scheme [5] can provide you with financial assistance towards your rent for the first 12 weeks of your employment. For more information please call 1300 HOUSING (1300 468 746)

Skills and Training

Looking for training [6]? Need to update your existing skills or learn new ones?  State Training Services in the Department of Education and Training funds vocational training for  a range of jobs and industries, in full and part qualifications, apprenticeships and traineeships, green skills and energy efficiency.   Funded training is available for unemployed, employed persons and people with special needs. Contact a local registered training organisation [7] (RTO) or ring State Training Services on 13 28 11.

Are you really good at your job, have you experience and skills but no formal qualification?  Contact a local RTO and get your skills assessed, and recognised.  It could help you keep your job, get a promotion or make you competitive when applying for a new job.  The RTO can also help you with short courses for catch up or gap training to get you that qualification.   If you would like to self evaluate your skills, the Skills Recognition tool can help you.   It can also help you find a suitable RTO to conduct the formal skills assessment.

If you live in social housing and are facing barriers to entering the workforce specialised training programs may be available to you. These programs include  Youth Scholarships Program and Association to Resource Co-operative Housing (ARCH) Sponsorship. For more information call 1300 HOUSING (1300 468 746).

Centrelink [8] offers a wide range of services to help people find work

Travel concessions

A variety of travel concessions are available including concessions for pensioners and seniors, students, apprentices and trainees, jobseekers and people with disabilities.

For more information on travel concessions [9] please call the Transport Infoline on 131 500.

Do you need legal advice?

If you need financial advice the Consumer Credit Legal Centre [10] gives free financial counselling, information, referrals and legal advice to individual consumers in NSW on credit, debt and banking issues. Advice is not available to businesses. For more information please 1800 808 488 for advice on credit and debt issues and 1300 663 464 for advice on insurance issues (Mon - Fri 9.30am - 4.30pm)

If you need legal advice LawAccess [11] is a free phone service that provides legal information, referral and in some cases legal advice to people in NSW. For more information please call 1300 888 529 (Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm)

If you earn a low income and need legal help Legal Aid [12] provides minor assistance and casework services to eligible people throughout NSW including advice on mortgage payments and other debt issues. For more information please call 1300 888 529