Creating sustainable employment in FNQ

Upcylinc is an innovative employment and training program delivered by the Centacare Far North Queensland Multicultural Services, Employment and Training team. The team comprises skilled and industry connected employment case workers and youth engagement workers representing culturally and linguistically diverse communities of Far North Queensland.

‍Upcyclinc is a circular economy project that creates sustainable outcomes for employment, business and waste reduction and has been funded through a combination of Try, Test, Learn federal funding and Skilling Queenslanders for Work state funding.

The program was initially set up to be a social enterprise with the intention to become self-sustaining. However, over time the program has evolved to become agile and adaptable for participants with real value being found in the process of people participating in a simulated workplace, providing opportunities to develop real life skills and confidence to carry through into employment.

This process has enabled participants to overcome barriers experienced by people who are least likely to receive sustainable employment outcomes through traditional employment services in the region, particularly migrant and refugee communities as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  Participants are upskilled and matched with work opportunities and intensively supported to develop the skills and resilience to maintain long-term employment, decreasing potential impacts of social welfare dependence.

The program has had a particularly huge impact on migrant women in the region by growing their confidence to make career choices and offering them safe and supported pathways to meaningful employment in the region.

Upcyclinc works collaboratively with key regional industry stakeholders ensuring that diverse employment and training is a priority for the regional employment and training agenda. Through this approach, the program has successfully supported 81 migrants in the region into sustainable employment including various trades, manufacturing, hospitality, administration, social services, education, retail, agriculture and construction. Additionally, 183 migrants have been supported into targeted employment pathways in the region.