Support for migrant upskilling

THE SisterWorks hub in Bendigo has received a major Federal grant to support its efforts to help migrant women find work.

The hub has been allocated $180,000, and delivers programs for migrant women that focus on overcoming barriers to employment by giving them confidence, empowerment and skills.

The funding, announced by Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters, is being made available under the Federal Government’s Strong and Resilient Communities Activity – Inclusive Communities stream.

Ms Chesters said the money would allow SisterWorks to scale up its projects to support a greater number of participants.

“SisterWorks are a real success story,” Ms Chesters said. “They do a great job of supporting women from a multicultural background who face language and social isolation barriers and help connect them to employment opportunities.

“Our government is committed to ensuring all Australians are supported and empowered to overcome barriers to find work, and this funding recognises not only the great work SisterWorks do, but the outcomes they’ve already had for their participants.

“This will help them not only continue to deliver their programs but to scale up to help even more people in our community.”

Hub manager Maria Gillies said the money would be used to expand manufacturing and warehousing training.

“And our sewing class, it used to be more a social class but it’s changing to be more job-readiness sewing; they learn about OH&S, they learn to set up the machine, and the use of industrial machines rather than just a household machine,” Ms Gillies said.

Ms Gillies said hub staff were also training and mentoring women in setting up home-based businesses in a seven-week course.

About 40 women are involved in the hub’s various programs, including 22 in the sewing course and 12 in hospitality.

Ms Gillies said not everyone in the sewing course would necessarily use their skills to secure a job, with some content to use their skills to create items for sale privately.

“We’re already in manufacturing, the ADA (Australian Defence Apparel) already hire some of our women, also we have another partner here who is in sewing,” she said.

Ms Gillies said they’re now targeting the food manufacturing sector.

“Our programs here in Bendigo have been successful, and the sewing has seen a lot of employment for our sisters,” she said.

Hospitality graduates had also been successful in securing jobs, including in aged care.