Peak industry body, Accommodation Australia, has thanked the Victorian government on behalf of its members as the $5.6M Victorian Jobs program for priority cohort jobseekers concludes.

The highly successful accommodation sector Victorian Jobs program has matched 320 priority cohort jobseekers with employment in 64 Victorian accommodation providers by offering tailored training support to meet the specific needs of both members and their new employees.

The program matched priority cohort jobseekers over 18 years old with vacancies for full and part-time (min 20 hours weekly) roles at Project Employer Project Sites with Victorian members. Jobs were paid at award rate or site rate (whichever was higher).

Of those employed, 29.9% were at risk and long-term unemployed, and 16.6% were Jobseekers with Jobs Victoria Partners. The bulk were in the 18-30 cohort, with an average age of 33 years.

Following completion of an intensive immersion training program, Project Employees were placed into ongoing employment. Outcomes included 172 candidates employed as room attendants, and 117 as food and beverage attendants. The time between application and employment averaged 33 days.

To create stronger outcomes, the team provided tailored support for candidates including targeted prevocational training and mentoring and support for employers.

The program provided over 4,800 total hours of wellbeing support, which represents an average of 14.9 hours for each successful jobseeker. This included mental health support, housing assistance, GP assistance, and access to psychology and psychiatry services.

7,125 full days of public transport assistance on Myki were issued, in addition to petrol and cost of living assistance.

Every successful candidate received footwear and over 400 resumes were updated as part of the effort to highlight the opportunities available in the accommodation industry and reinforce its leadership position as an inclusive employer.

The Accommodation Association Victorian Jobs program was supported by the $250 million Jobs Victoria Fund. Jobs Victoria supports people looking for work and connects employers with staff.

Accommodation Australia CEO, Michael Johnson, said “This program has changed hundreds of lives and addressed the chronic staff shortage we all face. I warmly thank Minister Carroll and Jobs Victoria for supporting our Accommodation Association Victorian Jobs program.

“This funding was a win for jobseekers, our members, and our industry. The program transformed 328 jobseekers into in-demand skilled workers by working together with our metro and regional member properties.

“I thank the Victorian government for recognising the pressing need to close the gap between demand and supply for skilled staff in accommodation. The program successfully maximised the return on the state government investment by matching the right people to the right jobs, nurturing long term careers for people at properties who need them.”

Karl Henry Resort Operations Manager, RACV, added, At the time of the program, we were experiencing significant recruitment challenges across the resort, namely in Food & Beverage and Housekeeping departments. Not only did it allow us to fill some gaps across the business, but it allowed those people that are often overlooked an opportunity to get their foot in the door of our industry.

“From the initial conversations about being a part of the program, to the open day and on-going support of the team members and myself, the experience has been really enjoyable.”

Donna Musarella National Talent Manager, Luxxe, said, The challenges we faced were around finding and retaining reliable people with availability suitable to our business. By participating in this project the team from AA gave people a chance to see the role, get some training and decide if they would like to pursue a position in this field - we were then able to offer them employment with us in one of our hotel housekeeping departments. We have had some great success stories and the majority of candidates we employed are still with us.

“The support from the AA team to these candidates was outstanding - they really went out of their way to make each and every one of them feel comfortable and at ease, they were there to support and guide them through the process and offered ongoing support even when they commenced employment with us - which I feel is why these candidates were successful in transitioning into the workforce.”

Andrew Edwards General Manager, TFE Hotels, commented, "In the post-COVID market, recruitment presented a significant challenge as we navigated the aftermath of the pandemic which triggered significant shifts in the workforce landscape. Our industry was severely impacted by the reduced availability of migrant workers, overseas students, and individuals on working holidays.

"Our involvement in the project proved to be a success for a number of our properties. It served as a platform that connected us with precisely the type of workers we sought to attract - individuals who exhibited a strong willingness to undergo training and a steadfast commitment to a long-term career within the industry. Notably, the project's impact has been particularly pronounced in filling our entry-level positions. We have witnessed remarkable success stories wherein applicants, despite lacking prior experience, were able to swiftly integrate into their roles with remarkable efficiency and efficacy, thanks to the training opportunities provided."