Illawarra South Coast Employment

01/05/2026

Yesterday’s Employer Connect Event in Shellharbour was a strong reminder of what happens when the right people are brought together in the right way.

Over 130 jobseekers attended, connecting directly with a range of high quality employers, many of whom were actively recruiting. A significant number of candidates progressed straight to interview opportunities on the day.

The feedback from employers was consistent:
- High-quality candidates
- Strong engagement
- People genuinely ready to work

A big thank you to the employment service providers and community organisations who worked hard to ensure their participants attended and were prepared. Your role was critical in making the event a success.

Special thanks to the employers and other organisations who attended and engaged so well with the jobseekers. You brought a great vibe and professionalism to the event!

We also appreciated the support and presence of colleagues from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, along with local MPs, who were able to see firsthand the impact of a well-coordinated, place-based employment initiative.

This is exactly what the Local Jobs Program is about—creating practical, on-the-ground connections that lead to real employment outcomes.

27/04/2026

Looking for work or ready for your next opportunity?

Join us this Thursday at the Employer Connect Day in Shellharbour — a great chance to meet employers face-to-face and explore real job opportunities.

We already have a strong line-up of employers attending, including

• BlueScope
• Flagstaff Group
• Traffic Professionals
• Boneyard Fabrication
• Shellharbour City Council
• Arrow Electrical
• Jones Complete Services
• NowChem

— with more being confirmed over the next few days.

There are both entry-level and skilled roles available, so whether you’re just starting out or bringing experience, there’s something for you.

• Shellharbour Civic Centre
• Thursday, 30 April 2027
• 10am - 12pm

This is your chance to:

• Speak directly with employers
• Learn about current job opportunities
• Make a strong first impression

Come prepared with your CV, be confident, and take the next step toward employment.

No formal registration required — just turn up and get involved.

14/04/2026

EMPLOYERS – SHELLHARBOUR CONNECT DAY (30 APRIL)
MEET JOB-READY PEOPLE LOOKING FOR WORK

We’ve updated the format of our upcoming Employer Connect Day to make it easier for local businesses to get involved.

- Now just 2 hours – 10:00am to 12:00pm (30 April 2026)
- Shellharbour Civic Centre
- Free to all employers.

This is a short, focused opportunity to meet job-ready local candidates looking for work.

If you’re looking for staff—or even just open to seeing what talent is available—this is a simple way to have direct conversations with potential employees.

We don’t run these events often—only when there’s a genuine workforce opportunity.

At the moment, employer numbers are limited, so it’s a good chance to stand out and have meaningful one-on-one conversations.

👉 To register your interest, send us a message or email [email protected]

01/04/2026

HIRING? We’ve got the people. You just need to meet them.

We’re bringing together job-ready candidates and local employers at the Illawarra Employer Connect Day on Thursday 30 April at Shellharbour Civic Centre.

This includes a strong group of experienced Tahmoor mine workers ready to step into new roles, plus a wider pool of motivated local jobseekers.

🕙 10am–12pm: Priority access to mine workers
🕛 12pm–2pm: Open to all job-ready candidates

Why come along?
✔ Meet candidates face-to-face
✔ Interview on the spot
✔ Fill roles faster
✔ It’s completely FREE

If you’re looking for staff across construction, manufacturing, transport, care, hospitality or more—this is a great opportunity to find your next hire.

Employers - Register now:
[email protected]
📞 0497 832 330

Spots are limited—don’t miss it.

12/02/2026

A major barrier to employment in southern NSW has just been unpacked — and the findings are now public.

Transport remains one of the most persistent and complex barriers to employment across regional Australia, particularly when solutions are fragmented, short-term or locally isolated.

In response, the Illawarra South Coast, Capital Region and Murray Riverina Local Jobs Program teams have been working collaboratively to establish the Work Transit Alliance, a new cross-regional organisation designed to take a more coordinated, system-level approach to transport-to-employment challenges.

In 2025, they jointly commissioned Sparrowly Group to undertake comprehensive research examining transport barriers across the three employment regions.

That research has been completed, and now it’s time to share what we've learned, and translate research insights into actions.

The Report can be downloaded here:https://www.localjobshub.com.au/s/Workforce-Australia-Work-Transit-Alliance-Research-Report-Final.pdf

We also invite you to attend a free webinar to hear about the research and results directly from the researchers.

Monday 23 February, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Anyone can view and join.
Register here: 89745531-8a9b-44fc-971a-a34483437d25@ad98cb7d-a262-4684-87d2-0da91178a9f5" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/89745531-8a9b-44fc-971a-a34483437d25@ad98cb7d-a262-4684-87d2-0da91178a9f5

Whether you work in regional economic development, transport, workforce development or public policy, you won’t want to miss this!

03/02/2026

Transport remains one of the most persistent and complex barriers to employment across regional Australia — particularly when solutions are fragmented, short-term or locally isolated.

In response, the Illawarra South Coast, Capital Region, and Murray Riverina Local Jobs Program teams have been working collaboratively to establish the Work Transit Alliance — a new cross-regional alliance designed to take a more coordinated, system-level approach to transport-to-employment challenges.

Rather than launching first and asking questions later, the regions chose to lead with evidence.

In 2025, they jointly commissioned Sparrowly Group to undertake a comprehensive research project examining transport barriers across the three employment regions, informed by data analysis, surveys, stakeholder interviews and regional roundtables.

That work is now in its final stages.

The Sparrowly report — including a clear set of practical, evidence-based recommendations — will be released publicly in a few weeks, alongside the formal launch of the Work Transit Alliance.

This marks the transition from research to action.

Further updates shortly.

21/10/2025

Struggling to get to work because of transport? You're not alone – and we need your input!
The WorkTransit Alliance is working hard to understand and tackle transport barriers that are stopping people from getting to work, and we need your help to make real change happen across the Illawarra South Coast Employment Region.

Whether you’re a jobseeker, employee, or employer in the:
• Shoalhaven
• Eurobodalla
• Bega Valley
• Wingecarribee
… we want to hear about your transport challenges and ideas.
We’ve partnered with Sparrowly Group to run a quick 5-minute survey to gather your feedback — this will help us push for better transport options and support in your area.

Take the short survey that best describes you:

• Employee: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WTA-employee-survey
• Employer: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WTA-employer-survey
• Jobseeker: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WTA-job-seeker-survey
📅 Surveys close Friday 7 November 2025

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

19/08/2025

It’s great to see our youth services community come together to learn and collaborate on employment and training opportunities for young people in the Bega Valley .
Thank you to the Grow the Future team for hosting and to the crew who provided farm tours and spoke about their experiences in the program.

🌱🧁☕️On Wednesday, we hosted our annual morning tea for the YOUTH SERVICES within our community, throwing the farm gate open to share a bit about what we do to build connections foster relationships, and identify ways that we can collaborate to build positive futures for young people in the Bega Valley.☕️🧁🌱

🙏🍰🧁This event was put on in partnership with the Local Jobs program, and a big thanks to Michelle for making it happen, and the crew at the Heritage Centre for catering.

Collaboration is super important in everything we do here at GTF. Our vision is ‘a better future for young people, and the Bega Valley’, and we are lucky to be amoung a community of organisations in our local region who are all working hard towards the same vision.

🙏Thank you to everyone who made it on the day, including reps from Headspace Bega, Campbell Page, SEWACS, Sapphire Neighbourhood Services, NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Brighter Futures, Bega Valley Shire Council, Bendigo Foundatio, Mumbulla community Foundation, Eden Community Access Centre, Bounce Therapy, Bega Chamber of Commerce, the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast, APM employment, AtWork Australia, Tulgeen, the Disability Trust, Emark, the University of Wollongong.

28/07/2025

Upcoming Grant Opportunity – Local Jobs, Local People – Engage with Us Now

We're pleased to let you know that the Local Jobs Program’s new grant opportunity – Local Jobs, Local People – will be released soon. This single grant fund, consolidating the Local Recovery Fund and National Priority Fund, will be available to support local place-based activities.

Ahead of the grant round opening for applications, the Forecast Opportunity View - FO2025-4617, is now live on GrantConnect. We expect the grant opportunity to open for applications by the end of July 2025 with an opening time of 4 weeks.

We strongly encourage any interested organisations, employers, or local groups considering a project to engage with the Local Jobs Program team early in the process. As outlined by the Department, all applicants are expected to consult with their region’s Job Coordinator and to ensure proposals align with regional priorities.

The draft Grant Opportunity Guidelines are available as part of the Forecast Opportunity. These guidelines provide insight into the type of activities that we expect to be funded by the grant. Please note, though, that the grant opportunity is not yet open for applications, and these guidelines may change prior to the round opening.

Please see the following:

https://www.dewr.gov.au/local-jobs/local-jobs-local-people

https://www.grants.gov.au/FO/Show?FoUuid=31571e8c-6b3f-43fd-a606-3de64ab224c6&keyword=fo2025-4617

https://www.dewr.gov.au/local-jobs/employment-facilitators/new-south-wales/illawarra-south-coast

https://www.localjobshub.com.au/ischome

We also encourage all stakeholders to register for notifications about the opening of the round for applications and any changes that occur at Become a Registered User (https://help.grants.gov.au/getting-started-with-grantconnect/become-a-registered-user/).

A summary of details about the grant is provided below.

Local Jobs, Local People grant opportunity

The Local Jobs, Local People grant opportunity, delivered under the Local Jobs Program, will fund activities addressing local employment needs, supporting individuals into ongoing employment, or providing a clear pathway to employment. Supporting people registered in employment services is a priority.

The grant opportunity will provide a total of up to $10 million (GST exclusive) in funding to 30 June 2027. The grant round will be conducted through an open competitive process. It is anticipated the grants will be from around $50,000 to $250,000 (GST exclusive).

Grants awarded under this opportunity will support activities addressing one or more of the priorities in the Local Jobs Plan for each relevant Employment Region. Successful grants will focus on supporting those who experience barriers to employment, such as First Nations peoples, mature age Australians, migrants and refugees or young people, or focus on opportunities for local employment in critical sectors such as construction, manufacturing, care and support, digital and emerging technologies, and the energy transition.

Final Grant Opportunity Guidelines and other supporting documents will be published when the grant opportunity is open for applications.

It's expected that applicants will consult with the relevant Job Coordinators and Regional Workforce Transition Officers in identifying and designing the activities for their application. This is to ensure activities address local needs by aligning with at least one of the priorities in the Local Jobs Plan of the relevant Employment Region(s).

The Grant Opportunity Guidelines make this requirement clear.

Note that applicants whose proposals overlap or better align with other government programs may be referred to those programs instead of being considered for this grant opportunity.

16/05/2025