Chapter 22. Local Jobs Program

22.1. Chapter OverviewCopy citation · §22.1

This Chapter outlines the requirements for Workforce Australia Providers with regard to the Local Jobs Program.

22.2. BackgroundCopy citation · §22.2

The Local Jobs Program is a collaborative place-based initiative to ensure local labour markets work well for all Australians, in partnership with business and communities. The program supports tailored approaches to skilling individuals to meet local workforce needs. A key focus of the program is to support the more effective local delivery of employment services, achieved by leveraging existing programs and resources, reducing duplication, and providing opportunities for local collaboration. As a place-based initiative, the program acknowledges that regions across Australia have unique characteristics and require responses that reflect and leverage local conditions to best support the needs of individuals and businesses. The program operates in all of Australia’s 51 Employment Regions and runs until 30 June 2027.

The program includes the following elements:

• A Job Coordinator - formerly titled Employment Facilitator - and a Support Officer/Program Officer on the ground in each region. They bring together key stakeholders such as employers, employment services providers, education and training organisations to work collaboratively to address the priorities for the region, as identified in the Local Jobs Plan (see below).

• A Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce with representatives from the local region. They identify key employment priorities and local workforce needs and then connect and collaborate with stakeholders to design and implement solutions.

• A Local Jobs Plan, developed in consultation with the Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce, which outlines employment priorities and actions.

• A Local Initiatives Fund (LIF) that provides a flexible pool of funding for Job Coordinators to use towards small activities addressing community priorities.

• The Local Jobs, Local People grant which will provide $10 million over 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the program. This grant will fund activities to address local employment and training priorities, and support individuals and businesses to meet local workforce needs and strengthen local labour markets.

• Australian Government Job Coordinators deliver the Job Coordinator role in:

  • Three micro regions in WA in Broome, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie (these positions share a Program Officer)

  • The Mid North Coast of NSW (includes a Program Officer)

  • Mackay of QLD (includes a Program Officer)

  • Cairns of QLD (includes a Program Officer)

  • North and North Western Tasmania (includes a Program Officer).

    Until 30 June 2025, the program also consisted of the following elements:

• A Local Recovery Fund (LRF) to support activities designed to address employment and training priorities and identify opportunities to better skill participants to meet local employer demand.

• A National Priority Fund (NPF) for innovative initiatives that address structural and other barriers to the attraction, recruitment and retention of job seekers and workers.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 130)

22.3. Benefits of the Local Jobs ProgramCopy citation · §22.3

The benefits of the Local Jobs Program include, but are not limited to:

• building strong connections between local stakeholders, including Providers, employers and education and training organisations to solve local workforce needs

• developing tailored skills and employment initiatives that meet local labour market and employer needs and create opportunities for Participants with local employers that result in employment outcomes

• providing a mechanism to transition people into new roles by reskilling and upskilling in the skills needed in the Employment Region

• providing an opportunity for Providers to improve their local connections and creating pathways to employment for Participants on their Caseload

• enhancing collaboration and coordination between the Australian Government, state, territory and local governments and community-initiated skills and employment initiatives

• responding to retrenchments, company closures and other structural adjustment events, including as a part of the Transition Support Network

• raising awareness of current and upcoming local employment and training opportunities.

The overall goal is to support significant improvements in labour market outcomes for each Employment Region by addressing the issues unique to each region.

Participants in Local Jobs Program Activities can gain points under the PBAS, depending on the nature of the Activity. Refer to the Job Plan and Mutual Obligations Requirements Chapter for more information.

The TCF will not apply for non-attendance in Local Jobs Program Activities, however, it will apply if Participants fail to meet their Points Requirement.

(Deed Reference(s): Clauses 90 and 130)

22.4. Local Jobs Program ActivitiesCopy citation · §22.4

Activities include:

• Local Jobs Program Activities

  • Local Jobs Program Activities are for the Local Jobs, Local People grant, delivered by a Local Jobs Program Activity Host, funded through a grant agreement.

    • Only the Department can use the Local Jobs Program Activity type (Activity type code: LCJB) when creating these activities in the Department's IT Systems.

• Other Activities

  • Other activities that do not receive funding through the Local Jobs, Local People grant but which may be funded and/or delivered by Job Coordinators under the Local Jobs Program.

  • Activities that leverage existing programs and services, including state and territory government programs, coordinated through the Local Jobs Program.

    • When leveraging existing activities, programs and services, Providers must ensure these programs and services adhere to their relevant requirements as described in these Guidelines.

  • If these activities are to be recorded in the Department's IT Systems, Providers should use the most relevant Activity type in the Department's IT Systems.

22.5. EligibilityCopy citation · §22.5

All Participants registered with a Workforce Australia Employment Services Provider, Broome Employment Services Provider, Yarrabah Employment Services Provider, Transition to Work Provider and Parent Pathways Provider are eligible to participate in Local Jobs Program Activities.

Any of these Providers may refer a Participant to the Local Jobs Program Activity, with Activities allocated points under the Points Based Activation System (PBAS), depending on the nature of the activity.

Local Jobs Program Activities can also be open to any individual.

Participation in Local Jobs Program Activities is voluntary.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 130)

22.6. Local Jobs Program Activity HostsCopy citation · §22.6

Local Jobs Program Activities funded by the Local Jobs, Local People grant will be delivered by a Local Jobs Program Activity Host. The Local Jobs Program Activity Host will be responsible for delivering the Local Jobs Program Activity in accordance with their Local Jobs, Local People grant agreement, including providing Supervision, ensuring that a safe system of work is in place, and reporting attendance and any incidents (where relevant) to any relevant Providers or the Department.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 123, 124, 130)

22.7. Role of ProvidersCopy citation · §22.7

The Local Jobs Program offers Providers the opportunity to improve their local connections and create pathways to training and employment for Participants on their caseload. Key responsibilities and actions undertaken by Providers in relation to Local Jobs Program Activities, which must be done in accordance with the Deed and these Guidelines include:

• collaborating and engaging with Job Coordinators and Support Officers, and key stakeholders in the region such as employers, and Local Jobs Program Activity Hosts

• referring and commencing Participants in Local Jobs Program Activities and supporting broader Local Jobs Program activities, as required

• identifying potentially eligible and suitable Participants on their caseload to participate in Local Jobs Program Activities

• referring and commencing Participants on their caseload in the Local Jobs Program Activity

• ensuring referrals and commencements are correctly recorded in the Department’s IT Systems, where relevant

• undertaking and updating Participant Risk Assessments, as required and advising the Local Jobs Program Activity Host

• recording participation in the Activity for Participants on their Caseload

• working with the Local Jobs Program Activity Host to:

  • advise them when they are referring a Participant to the Local Jobs Program Activity

  • manage the replacement of Participants to maximise utilisation.

• following up non-attendance of Participants on their caseload

• reporting incidents to the Department

Job Coordinators, as part of their contractual obligations, will provide regular feedback to the Department regarding Providers' collaboration and participation in Local Jobs Program Activities and the broader Local Jobs Program.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 90.2, 121.1, 122, 124, 130)

22.8. Referral to a Local Jobs Program ActivityCopy citation · §22.8

The Department will set up Local Jobs Program Activities funded by the Local Jobs, Local People grant in the Department's IT Systems. The Department and/or Job Coordinators and Support Officers will provide relevant Activity IDs to Providers.

Providers must, in accordance with work health and safety requirements, refer eligible and potentially suitable Participants for Local Jobs Program Activities.

It is a priority to ensure that available places in a Local Jobs Program Activity are fully utilised. Job Coordinators and Support Officers may liaise with Providers to maximise participation in Local Jobs Program Activities.

Providers should work with Job Coordinators to refer Participants to Local Jobs Program Activities not funded by the Local Jobs, Local People Grant.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 130)

22.9. Work Health and Safety and IncidentsCopy citation · §22.9

• Work health and safety — For the purposes of Work Health and Safety, Providers must also refer to, and comply with, the requirements specified in the Deed and Activity Management Chapter.

Should an incident occur on a Local Jobs Program Activity, the Local Jobs Program Activity Host is responsible for managing the incident, in collaboration with the Supervisor of the Local Jobs Program Activity. The Local Jobs Program Activity Host is responsible for advising the Department of any incidents which involve Participants.

It is the Local Jobs Program Activity Host’s responsibility to ensure that the Participant’s relevant Provider is notified.

For further information in relation to the process for reporting incidents and completing incident forms refer to the WHS Incidents and Insurance Readers Guides and the Activity Management Chapter.

• Documentary evidence — Providers must retain Records of any action taken with regard to any Incidents that occur during an Local Jobs Program Activity in accordance with the WHS Incidents and Insurance Readers Guide.

(Deed Reference(s): Clause 121, 130)

22.9.1. Conducting Risk AssessmentsCopy citation · §22.9.1

If the Department has advised that the Local Jobs Program Activity is a Specified Activity, Providers must:

• confirm that the Local Jobs Program Activity Host has undertaken an Activity Risk Assessment on the Specified Activity

• undertake and update Participant Risk Assessments for participants on their caseload that are referred to Local Jobs Program Activities.

Further information on Risk Assessment Requirements is available in the Conducting Risk Assessments for Specified Activities section of the Activity Management Chapter.

• Documentary evidence — Providers have the discretion to determine how they document Risk Assessments, but must retain Records of each Risk Assessment undertaken.

22.10. PaymentsCopy citation · §22.10

Progress Payments are available to claim when the Participant’s circumstances have been changed during participation in Workforce Australia Services such that they are more prepared to gain and maintain Employment. Successful participation in and/or completion of a Local Jobs Program Activity may contribute towards a Progress Payment. Providers must refer to and comply with the requirements specified in the Provider Payments and Vacancies Chapter.