By Staff Writer

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) will train twelve Indigenous jobseekers from the Hinchinbrook Shire as part of a $31,240 Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative grant.

“This project will help participants gain the skills and qualifications required to gain part-time work as Auxiliary Fire Officers and also gives them a chance to apply to become permanent, full-time Fire Officers," says Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations John Mickel.

The project will include accredited training via the Queensland Fire Service in Senior First Aid and Certificates II and III in Public Safety (Fire Fighting Operations).

Minister Mickel says the initiative gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders an opportunity “to get into a line of work that they might not have thought about."

Department of Emergency Services area director, Roy Simpson hopes the project will aid the QFRS in engaging with the Hinchinbrook Indigenous community.

“This will help them with any jobs they apply for, but we are looking at this project as an opportunity to offer Indigenous people a career path that will boost their numbers in the Queensland Fire Service,” Mr Simpson says.

“As well as the First Aid and Public Safety Certificates, participants will also complete contextualised literacy courses and training in job search and interview techniques.”