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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Economy and Infrastructure Committee

Inquiry into sustainable employment for disadvantaged job seekers

Response prepared by AMES Australia

JULY 2019

LA EIC - Disadvantaged Jobseekers Inquiry Submission no. 34Received: 30 July 2019

An inquiry into the social and economic benefits of seeking to place disadvantaged job seekers into sustainable employment

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Overview AMES Australia’s overarching purpose is to support refugees and migrants as they move from early settlement to independence and greater social and economic participation in Australia.

AMES Australia works with clients who have arrived through all of the major permanent migration streams including Humanitarian Entrants, Family stream and Skilled stream. AMES Australia acknowledges that ‘disadvantaged job seekers’ can include youth; homeless people; job seekers with mental health issues; single parents with children under school age; people with drug and alcohol issues; long and very long term unemployed; and job seekers from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds (refugees and migrants). As a settlement organisation working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, AMES Australia’s response will focus primarily on this cohort – that is, job seekers from CALD backgrounds. However, many of the views and insights presented in this response may well apply to other cohorts of disadvantaged job seekers. This response is structured to address each of the questions identified for inquiry. The social and economic benefits of seeking to place disadvantaged job seekers into sustainable employment:

For migrant and refugee job seekers this means:

improved standards of living leading to increased social and economic well-being and a greater sense of belonging – leading to better settlement outcomes

a direct impact on housing security: this matters, especially for familes who have come from refugee camps or precarious lives in first countries of asylum

intergenerational impact: young people growing up in working families with good role models and a positive vison for their own futures in Australia.

The job seekers who may be considered as being 'disadvantaged' in the labour market and the types of barriers to employment they may face Well documented barriers to employment faced by new arrivals include:

unrecognised or undervalued overseas skills, qualifications or experience perceptions of cultural dissimilarity or that migrants cannot ‘fit’ in existing workforces negative stigma, stereotyping, discrimination or racism lack of familiarity with Australian recruitment practices and workplace laws, rights and entitlements. lack of or low levels of English employer preference for candidates with local experience.

As a sub-set of the CALD job seeker cohort, refugees face even greater barriers. These include: limited or no Australian work experience and networks limited or no knowledge and understanding of Australian workplace culture and systems limited or no networks low English communication skills; some pre-literate in first language experiences of torture or trauma prior to arrival chronic health (mental and/or physical) issues as a result of overseas experiences lower levels of education (particularly those who have spent extended time in refugee camps).

How well current efforts, programs or activities meet the needs of disadvantaged job seekers and/or employers looking for workers, and potential improvements Federally-funded employment programs, for example jobactive, do not always serve mighrant and refugee job seekers well. Analysis of this service provides some insights into what works well and what could be improved, for example:

- recognising barriers: job seeker assessment - linking job seekers to appropriate levels of support

Some examples of programs that work all include either mentors and/or work placement:

- Career Pathways Pilot of Humanitarian Entrants - Skilled Professional Migrants Program


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- SLPET (extended AMEP) Regional resettlement initiative that include appropriate supports have also been proved successful. Supports include:

- employers with ‘real’ jobs - supportive host communities - access to appropriate housing - family services - schools and career pathways for young people

Outcomes of efforts to encourage greater labour participation of disadvantaged job seekers Outcomes have been documented against a number of the programs and show good results when disadvantaged job seekers can access:

- the levels of support they need - the types of employment programs appropriate to their skills and goals - alternative pathways (eg learning on the job, mentors/work buddies, regional relocation opportunities)

Education and training needs to support disadvantaged job seekers transitioning into work Through our English language programs, vocational training programs and jobactive employment services AMES Australia has significant experience working with CALD groups and first-hand knowledge of the challenges they face the education and training system.

- previous education background and very minimal English skills are the major barriers to refugees and migrants undertaking any vocational study using existing models in TAFE Institutes.

Training and support needed include: - functional English, especially for refugees with low levels of schooling - access to foundation skills and bridging courses - recognition of prior qualification - support to meet costs of training - integration of support from the different services available to migrants and refugees - mentors and access to Australian workplace experience

Interstate and overseas best practice models that could be implemented in Victoria Some of the models noted include:

- Recognition of overseas skills and qualifications (Germany) - Investment Approach to Welfare (New Zealand) - Try, Test and Learn – priority approach to investment (Australia – Federal Government) - Partnerships Address Disadvantage (Australia – Victoria) - Jobs Victoria Employment Network (Australia – Victoria)


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Introduction AMES Australia AMES Australia’s overarching purpose is to support refugees and migrants as they move from early settlement to independence and greater social and economic participation in Australia. AMES Australia’s Settlement Framework for Economic and Social Participation identifies short to medium term settlement outcomes in the domains of safety and security; education; employment; and health and well-being based on established and well documented empirical evidence and formal research that:

stable employment is critical for economic security, mental wellbeing and feelings of self-worth for individuals and families and as a conduit for social connections

the ability to speak English is an enabler for building the bridging capital to participate in and access services in mainstream society, undertake education and training and gain employment

good mental and physical health are important to facilitate economic and social participation meeting basic needs such as secure housing and personal safety are frequently linked to having employment

and being able to communicate in English sound early foundations in education gives children and young people the best chance of succeeding at

school and is fundamental for social and economic success in later life.1

In this context AMES Australia, a significant provider with over 60 years’ experience, delivers initial settlement, English language, employment preparation and vocational training and employment services to newly arrived refugees and migrants and their communities in their early phase of settlement, and to longer term migrants who require support to gain employment. AMES Australia works with clients who have arrived through all of the major permanent migration streams including Humanitarian Entrants, Family stream and Skilled stream. Employment specific services: AMES Australia delivers employment services under the Australian Government’s jobactive program and has provided services in all five contract regions across metropolitan Melbourne through consortium arrangements. AMES Australia jobactive consortium currently delivers jobactive services in four regions in Melbourne and in Western Sydney as a subcontractor for WISE Employment. Focus on CALD job seekers AMES Australia acknowledges that ‘disadvantaged job seekers’ can include youth; homeless people; job seekers with mental health issues; single parents with children under school age; people with drug and alcohol issues; long and very long term unemployed; and job seekers from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds (refugees and migrants). As a settlement organisation working with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, AMES Australia’s response will focus primarily on this cohort – that is, job seekers from CALD backgrounds. However, many of the views and insights presented in this response may well apply to other cohorts of disadvantaged job seekers.

In 2017-18 AMES Australia worked with 18,840 jobseekers from CALD backgrounds (55% of our total jobactive caseload). 21% of these (3,955) were from refugee backgrounds, and included people from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. 2

1 AMES Australia Social Impact Report 2018 2 Department of Jobs and Small Business Employment Services System


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The social and economic benefits of seeking to place disadvantaged job seekers into sustainable employment

Long term social and economic benefits of sustainable employment are many and, in summary, include:

Economic security, reduced reliance on welfare payments and improved standards of living More disposable income to spend within the local community and contribute to community/business growth Opportunities to contribute to skills shortage Innovation: new ideas to contribute to growth of businesses; many CALD job seekers have skills and

experience gained overseas which they can use to develop their own businesses Increased capacity to rent or buy a home for family, resulting in increased security and stability Pride in being able to provide for dependent family members, including secure housing Increased self-belief and confidence A sense of self-worth, ability to contribute to society Mental and physical well being Social connections with the local community, e.g: through schools, volunteering, local sporting hubs/clubs

etc. Opportunities, for example education, for young people Role models for younger people/whole communities

Sustainable employment results in improved standards of living and is key to social and economic well-being AMES Australia has conducted a substantial body of research into the economic and social impacts of employment for refugees and migrants. Based on this work and on-going review of the broader body of research in this field, it is clear that sustainable employment has significant benefits.

Work provides the income that people need to live with dignity as participating and contributing members of their society.

Being part of the working population links people in a meaningful way to the broader community they have joined. When local people see newcomers as contributing to the local community and economy this generates acceptance and respect.

Work means access to good accommodation and opportunities to purchase properties. Living in a family with a steady income allows young people to participate at school, in sports and other

activities, and provides good role modelling of pathways to economic (and social) participation.3 For example: looking at the employment and resettlement of a community of Karen refugees in rural Victoria AMES Australia research with Deloitte Access Economics found that:

‘In overall terms the Karen families and individuals who have moved from Melbourne to Nhill have settled in a place where there is steady employment, where they can afford significantly improved standards of living compared to what was/would be available to them in the city, where there is a small and welcoming host community … .’4

Sustainable employment generates increased disposable income Clearly, stable and sustained employment can result in an increase in individuals’ and families’ disposable income. This creates benefit not only for the individuals/families employed but benefits the economy of the whole community. Earnings spent within the local community contribute to community/business growth. Again looking at the employment of refugee communities in Nhill and Bendigo, the broader economic impact for the host community is evident.

In Bendigo: The [Deloitte Access Economic] economic impact modelling suggests that the increase in employment and associated additional income derived through wages has resulted in a cumulative $31.9 million increase in household consumption expenditure in the Bendigo region over the ten years to 2016.

3 AMES Australia regional resettlement research – in Nhill and Bendigo

4 Small Towns Big Returns: economic and social impact of the Karen resettlement in Nhill, AMES Australia & Deloitte Access Economics, 2015


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In Nhill: Increased spending in the community and increased business turnover is also reported by local businesses. … The local IGA supermarket has experienced an increase in spending at the supermarket (estimated at around $5000 a week) and is working with the Karen community to expand their range of stock to include specialty items the Karen go to Melbourne to buy. … [With the arrival of the Karen community] The gain to Nhill has been an increase in population, a reliable workforce, growth in local business and infrastructure and more volunteers in all areas.

Impact of sustainable employment on secure housing Employment offers humanitarian migrants much more than a job. After living in a refugee camp, or on the margins of another society, the transition to settled life in Australian can be extremely challenging, especially if there is legacy of persecution and terror. Employment eases this transition. It helps refugees stabilise their housing, establish local connections, gain skills, improve their English and build social capital. While it may not be possible for every humanitarian migrant to take up a job soon after arrival, government should prioritise higher employment rates overall.5

Sustained employment facilitates access to adequate and affordable housing which is critical to families’, and individuals’ security and sense of being part of a community. Securing affordable accommodation in good condition is a constant challenge for newly arrived refugee populations and the settlement services that work with them. In Nhill and in Bendigo, where the Karen have work and have been able to rent and purchase accommodation suitable to their families and finances, the benefits are reflected in their connection to the local community, increased sense of security and their mental and physical well-being.6 Intergenerational impact of sustainable employment The Australian Institute of Health & Wellbeing finds that:

‘Jobless families are disproportionately likely to be reliant on welfare, have low incomes and experience financial stress. Members of jobless households report worse physical and mental health and lower life satisfaction than members of households where someone is employed.7 Studies on the effects of unemployment on other family members have identified relationships between parental joblessness and family conflict, family breakdown and child abuse (McClelland 2000). Secure employment provides financial stability, self-confidence and social contact for parents, with positive effects flowing on to children. 8

AMES research findings support this view:

‘Research argues that children growing up in working families are much more likely to have better developmental outcomes across learning, social-emotional and physical health domains than children in families where parents/adults do not have a job. The Karen children in Nhill not only have the advantages of living in a safe and welcoming host community, but are also all growing up in working families, free from poverty.’9

A companion study of the Karen resettled in Bendigo (2018) also found that:

‘The majority of these young Karen in Bendigo have not only had the advantages of living in a safe host community, access to supportive schools and career pathways (for example the Managed Individual Pathways (MIPs) program at Bendigo Senior Secondary College) but are also growing up in a community of working families and positive role models. … jobs range from skilled professional and semi-professional positions to labouring jobs, with many still being at the lower end of the scale. However, for the people who previously worked as farmers or in other agri-horticultural jobs, even the lower-skilled work they find in Bendigo is welcome and gives them self-esteem.’ “Men like it that they can work: at Hazeldenes, apple picking, mushrooms, chicken hatchery, etc”.10

5 Settling Better: Reforming refugee employment and settlement, Centre for Policy Development, 2017 https://cpd.org.au/2017/02/settlingbetter/ 6 Describing the ‘double precarity’ of employment insecurity and unaffordable housing and its impact on mental health, research published in

Social Science & Medicine, 7 February 2019, showed that if people’s households become insecurely employed, they are five times more likely to also experience housing affordability stress. It also noted that household employment insecurity has a small, negative effect on mental health. 7 Heady & Verick, 2006 8 http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442459937 9 Small Towns Big Returns: economic and social impact of the Karen resettlement in Nhill, AMES Australia & Deloitte Access Economics, 2015 10 Regional Futures: economic and social impact of the Karen in Bendigo, AMES Australia & Deloitte Access Economics, 2018

https://cpd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Settling-Better-Report-20-February-2017.compressed.pdf

http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442459937


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The road to sustainable employment and economic and social inclusion There are significant social and economic outcomes to be gained through placing a job seeker into sustainable employment, particularly a disadvantaged job seeker. By gaining employment, a job seeker is not relying on government financial assistance, and their income and increased independence can bring social benefit to them, their family and their community. One example of this is Ali (not his real name) who came to Australia as a refugee with multiple vocational and non-vocational barriers to employment. These included: - very low levels of English - limited work skills - no local qualifications - no Australian work experience - physical health issues resulting in inability to do heavy lifting - trauma and depression as a result of his refugee experience and being in Australia with no family and no job - being a parent with a new baby in a new country. A skill assessment found that Ali had some hairdressing skills and had worked as a barber overseas. Career counselling assisted him to understand the shortage of these skills in the local labour market and the value of his Arabic language skills to the local Arabic-speaking employers. An Employment Consultant assisted Ali locate the barber shops in his local area (as he did not have a driver’s licence). Ali found a vacancy himself, but with no local qualification and no work experience the employer was reluctant to offer him the job. An AMES Employment Consultant contacted the employer to negotiate a work trial. The Employer agreed to offer Ali a work trial and committed to giving him a job if he could do or learn to do the job. The Employment Consultant provided encouragement, offered training assistance and help to Ali to purchase work related items if he required any. The employer was happy with Ali’s performance and employed him for a few hours per week so he could gain more experience. Once he had proven himself, Ali was initially offered part time work (15 hours per week) and then, recently, full time employment. Ali is now no longer relying on Centrelink benefits and is financially contributing to society by paying taxes. Social benefits are also evident: he speaks better English, has local work experience, and is earning enough to support his family financially. Ali feels better about his life and himself and his family life is healthier. Looking beyond the individual, Ali’s success in securing employment is an example that will impact on his community by provide a positive role model and giving hope of a better future to others in the community.


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The job seekers who may be considered as being 'disadvantaged' in the labour market and the types of barriers to employment they may face

AMES Australia acknowledges that ‘disadvantaged job seekers’ can include youth; homeless people; job seekers with mental health issues; single parents with children under school age; people with drug and alcohol issues; long and very long term unemployed; and job seekers from CALD backgrounds (refugees and migrants). However, as detailed in the Introduction, this response focuses on CALD job seekers, their ‘disadvantages' in the labour market and the types of barriers to employment they may face. CALD job seekers arrive in Australia under two streams - Humanitarian and Migrant Entrants. There are two groups of Migrant Entrants – Skilled Migrants and the Family Stream. Job seekers from all migration streams can face barriers to obtaining employment. These barriers are of different natures and levels depending on the background of the job seeker, with many refugee job seekers facing greater difficulty in securing employment. Several reports document the types and range of barriers commonly experienced by CALD job seekers. The Brotherhood of St Laurence research11 finds that in tight labour market conditions, employers may ‘screen out’ candidates they consider do not meet their needs or expectations for any reason. In this context, migrants face barriers to employment including:

unrecognised or undervalued overseas skills, qualifications or experience perceptions of cultural dissimilarity or that migrants cannot ‘fit’ in existing workforces (Note: different

employers respond differently to different cultural groups/communities; and some communities are more successful in finding and keeping employment than others)

negative stigma, stereotyping, discrimination or racism based on ‘visible difference’ such as skin colour lack of familiarity with Australian recruitment practices such as behavioural interview questions or

knowledge of federal workplace laws, rights and entitlements. The research also finds that:

English language proficiency is a significant predictor of employment success for migrants (ie – lack of or low levels of English can be a significant barrier)

employers demonstrate a preference for candidates with experience, even for lower-skilled vacancies recently arrived migrants are unlikely to have either local experience or local employer references to verify

intangible attributes such as ‘initiative’, ‘problem-solving’, ‘teamwork’, ‘loyalty’, ‘commitment’, ‘honesty’ or ‘reliability’. As a result, many migrants are compelled to take on lower skilled jobs that do not fully utilise their skills or experience.

As a sub-set of the CALD job seeker cohort, refugees face even greater barriers. A recent publication by the Tent Partnership for Refugees and the Friendly Nations Initiatives12 notes that:

Refugees face structural barriers when trying to enter the labour market that make them less competitive in a standard recruitment process. Some of the challenges are similar to those faced by other migrants. Others are exacerbated for refugees because they haven’t had the time to prepare for their migration, so they may not possess items like written evidence of prior education and experience. The data supports this and shows that people who come to Australia as refugees do not secure employment at the same rate as other job seekers. For the past 15 years, the average unemployment rate in Australia has been less than 6.5 percent and

the average labour force participation rate has been higher than 63 percent. By comparison, of the people who arrived in Australia as refugees between 2000 and 2016, 38% were employed, 10% were unemployed and 50% were not in the labour force at all. This is despite 81% of them being between 15 and 64 years old.

The work refugees are able to find is largely insecure. The Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA) survey

of around 2,400 newly arrived refugees found that, of those able to find work in the first 2½ years after arrival, 43% were in casual employment, compared to 25% in permanent jobs.

11 Giving asylum seekers a chance Insights from a pilot employment program, 2017 12 Australian Employers’ Guide to Hiring Refugees, TENT & Friendly Nations for the Migration Council Australia, 2019


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The Refugee Council of Australia13, in examining the literature exploring barriers specific to job seekers from refugee backgrounds and AMES Australia’s own research find that as well as the barriers noted above, job seekers from refugee or refugee-like backgrounds will also often have:

limited or no Australian work experience and networks

limited or no knowledge and understanding of Australian workplace culture and systems

limited or no networks

low English communication skills; some pre-literate in first language

experiences of torture or trauma prior to arrival

chronic health (mental and/or physical) issues as a result of overseas experiences

lower levels of education (particularly those who have spent extended time in refugee camps)

All these factors can cause significant barriers to gaining employment. Addressing these barriers requires customised and intensive support, training and experience to assist CALD job seekers into productive work and the social inclusion that results from this.

13 What Works: Employment Strategies for Refugee and Humanitarian Entrants, 2010


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How well current efforts, programs or activities meet the needs of disadvantaged job seekers and/or employers looking for workers, and potential improvements

As a jobactive employment services provider AMES Australia has experience of some of the limitations of the service in terms of providing support for disadvantaged refugee and migrant job seekers. This federally funded program provides good support for some job seekers but as the analysis that follows demonstrates, it often fails the most disadvantaged. Lessons learned from experience with jobactive are significant and can be applied to other, state-based, employment programs to better meet the needs of migrant/refugee and other disadvantaged job seekers. jobactive Employment Services As noted in the previous section, job seekers from all migration streams can face barriers to obtaining employment. The nature and level of these barriers depends on the background of the job seeker. However, refugee and Humanitarian Entrant job seekers tend to face greater barriers to employment than some of the other streams of migrants. Supporting this view, the Centre for Policy Development’s (CPD) latest report, Settling Better: Reforming refugee employment and settlement services, which analyses the Building a New Life in Australia longitudinal research survey data, calls for a new approach to refugee employment and settlement services. The report finds that:

‘The barriers to humanitarian migrant success in the labour market are high and standard support programs are inadequate to improve employment and participation rates. The Government’s main employment support program – jobactive – is particularly ill-suited to improve outcomes.’

This research also finds that: Current Commonwealth government employment programs focus on job seekers with low and medium

levels of disadvantage and give much less attention to job seekers with high levels of disadvantage. Jobactive provides little financial incentive for service providers to assist job seekers with high levels of

disadvantage; the structure of the current program leads to large caseload and limited time to spend with individual clients, an impediment to getting people job-ready.

This is a particular issue for disadvantaged migrant and refugee job seekers, many of whom need intensive, targeted support which the current system cannot provide. 14

What is needed is a flexible but tailored service for job seekers; increasing levels of support available to disadvantaged job seekers; and an approach which recognises and rewards achievement rather than focusing on enforcing consistent ongoing obligations. AMES Australia has explored some areas in which jobactive processes and services could be adjusted to better support disadvantaged refugee and migrant job seekers. A key area of concern, and one for potential improvement, is that of needs assessment and attendant allocation of resources/support services. While use of the Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) for assessment and placement in a Stream of services is specific to jobactive, the principle of accurate assessment of disadvantage and referral to appropriate support is applicable to all employment programs.

Refugee-appropriate assessment tools with relevant indicators will assist in needs-based targeting that addresses the broad diversity and high levels of need.

Early identification of Skilled Refugees will facilitate accelerated interventions to gain qualifications recognition, local work experience and mentored pathways.

Recognising barriers Correct placement into a Stream is crucial if a job seeker is to have access to the appropriate level and type of service/s which can assist to transition them to sustainable employment. It is critical to achieving sustainable employment outcomes that those job seekers from migrant and refugee backgrounds who need more intense assistance are accurately identified and placed in the most appropriate Stream/service.

14 Settling Better: Reforming refugee employment and settlement, Centre for Policy Development, 2017

https://cpd.org.au/2017/02/settlingbetter/






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The Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI) is one of the tools used to place job seekers in a Stream service. It provides the opportunity to identify barriers and therefore the types of/right supports for individual job seekers. Linking job seekers to appropriate supports Some of the ‘right’ supports and programs are available, however, if job seekers are not accurately assessed they will not have access to the programs or activities that would most benefit them. The JSCI should include a sufficiently comprehensive range of indicators to ensure accurate placement in all cases. In previous responses to the then Department of Employment, AMES Australia has raised issues about gaps in the JSCI that result in CALD job seekers being incorrectly placed. It is a notable omission that job seekers who arrive in Australia as part of the government’s Humanitarian Program are not automatically classified as highly disadvantaged and therefore needing high levels of support. Potential Improvements The JSCI score weighting needs to accurately identify refugee and migrant job seekers needing more intense assistance to find, and retain, employment. Indicators of a refugee job seeker’s need for high levels of support include:

length of time in Australia (less than 5 years) English language proficiency (no or low levels of English) Visa category (Series 200 Visa) refugee background (and associated lack of recent work experience) time in refugee camps (or detention if applicable) (weighted as for newly released offenders) mental health issues (particularly as a result of refugee experience) levels of education and qualifications (interrupted or low education as a result of refugee experience and/or

qualifications not recognised) unstable accommodation (young unaccompanied refugees are particularly vulnerable)

Given general recognition that language and literacy skills are a risk factor in assessing the likelihood of gaining employment, it is critical that JSCI weightings applied to these factors are sufficient to result in placement in an appropriate level of support. This currently applies for Stream B, and some cases, in Stream C where poor language and literacy is combined with other factors. This allows providers to deliver the appropriate level of service that supports getting these job seekers into work as quickly as possible. 15 Other areas of jobactive services that could be improved to increase impact on sustainable employment outcomes for job seekers, particularly CALD job seekers, but would also benefit all disadvantaged people in the service are:

increased capacity for providers to provide on-site mentoring (in person, not over the phone) increased time to focus on employer relationships to better understand employers’ needs and improve job

matching expanding services for voluntary job seekers to include Stream B (Voluntary) and Stream C (Voluntary) recognising the completion of training/education program (including AMEP and SEE) as an outcome (at

minimum in terms of Star Ratings) for the jobactive service provider paid work-trials for refugee job seekers in Streams A and B changes to conditions around the use of wage subsidies

Wage subsidies Wage subsidies are a significant support tool to transitions disadvantaged job seekers into employment. However: - for an employer to be eligible for a wage subsidy they are required to hire the person for a minimum of 20 hours

per week in an ongoing position. - job seekers who have a fulltime activity requirement will usually require more than 20 hours of work to come off

Centrelink benefits, and job seekers who are part time activity tested (due to reduced work capacity or parenting duties) might only be required to undertake 15 hours of employment and are therefore not eligible for a wage subsidy.

For the job seeker, the employer and the jobactive service provider this is a lost opportunity, as the wage subsidy, a tool intended to increase employment opportunities for the disadvantaged, cannot be used where it would do the most good. Changes to these conditions presents a potential improvement to current arrangements, and employment outcomes.

15 AMES Australia’s response to Employment Services Discussion Paper 2018


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Examples of employment focussed programs for CALD job seekers that work A question that underpins AMES Australia’s work across our settlement, education and training and employment services is:

What are the most effective programs and activities with respect to assisting disadvantaged job seekers from refugee and migrant backgrounds to find secure employment and therefore full social and economic participation?

AMES Australia has implemented a number of initiatives across the organisation to assist disadvantaged refugee and migrant job seekers to achieve social and economic participation through training and employment. These have been both Federal and State Government funded and provide models of what works.

Career Pathways Pilot for Humanitarian Entrants (CPP) The DSS Career Pathways Pilot for Humanitarian Entrants provides an established model of coordinating services

to assist newly arrived humanitarian entrants to use their professional or trade skills and qualifications in Australia. The program linked skilled refugees to mentors and provided opportunities for corporate orientation/work experience where skills and knowledge could be demonstrated in situ, supporting refugees to follow a career pathway that recognises the value of the skills and experience they bring to Australia. Program design includes English for Occupational Test (OET) preparation and the provision of financial support to eligible clients to help them with their training, retraining or skills/qualifications recognition. Eligible for the program are Humanitarian entrants who arrived in Australia under the Humanitarian Program

- have lived here for five years or less

- speak English well - have a professional qualification or trade skills experience - are work ready

This Pilot was delivered by AMES Australia in Melbourne, Settlement Services International in Sydney, Multicultural Development Australia in Toowoomba, atWork Australia in Perth, CatholicCare Tasmania in Hobart, Navitas English in Canberra. This has been an effective pilot and should be continued and replicated nationally. NOTE: Employment Fund Refugee Training and Mentoring: jobactive has recently introduced reimbursement for post-placement workplace English language training and mentoring for refugee participants under the Employment Fund Refugee Training and Mentoring. Funding for the Mentoring component of this service can be used for pre and post-placement mentoring services delivered to refugee participants and their employers, Host Organisations and family and community members and can be used in addition to the Post Placement Support category. AMES Australia will use this resource to replicate a version of the Careers Pathways Pilot described above. Other providers in Victoria could adopt a similar approach to reach more disadvantaged job seekers.

Getting a physician back to work: orientation to Australian systems, financial support and a mentor Sharif (not his real name) worked as a surgeon in Iraq during the conflict saving hundreds of lives. His daily work was tending to battlefield wounds suffered by soldiers or militia members fighting ISIS or assisting women and children injured in gunfire. On arrival in Australia in 2017, he initially struggled to find his way into practicing medicine again due to the cost and the complex and arduous process of requalification. Determined to re-establish his medical career in Australia, he achieved the English test score required by APHRA to requalify at the first attempt. Rather than attempt to requalify under the Australian Medical Council standard pathway for overseas medical practitioners, he chose to requalify under the specialist pathway. In October 2018, he was successfully interviewed by the Australian Royal College of Physicians which assessed his skills and suitability to work as a medical practitioner under supervision within the Australian hospital system. The CPP invested $14,000 to assist him on his pathway, including enrolment in the Skilled Professional Migrant Program (SPMP) to prepare him for interviews, the cultural differences in work environments and to provide him with a mentor. It is through the mentor program at AMES Australia that he was able to successfully apply for the position as Senior Health Registrar at the West Gippsland Hospital in Warragul, Victoria. He commenced work in January 2019 while he continues to train in his field under the guidelines of the Royal College of Physicians.


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Industry Workplace Employment Program (IWEP) An AMES initiated 13-week pilot was conducted with refugee job seekers in Broadmeadows. The program simultaneously developed practical job seeking skills, improved English, provided exposure to potential employers and addressed settlement and social participation issues. Importantly, IWEP participants received post-course support for two months.

Skilled Professional Migrants Program (SPMP), including mentoring

The Skilled Professional Migrants Program assists professionally qualified migrants to find employment commensurate with their skills and qualifications. As part of the program, participants are matched with volunteer mentors from relevant industries to provide mentees with professional advice and support to guide their career. Participants in the program have reported that new arrivals need local insights and access to professional networks that a one-on-one connection with a local mentor can offer. The mentor can help clients understand the Australian context of their profession, workplace culture, and how to translate their skill sets.

SLPET program (AMEP) This ten week program allows job seekers to develop specific employability and job-seeking skills including improved language and social skills and knowledge of the Australian workplace. (Programs include: Retail, Professionals, Hospitality and Community Services etc.) The program provides a two week practical placement component in an organisation similar to the job seekers’ own employment backgrounds. It allows for networking and job seekers can showcase their knowledge and experience to the employer. Following recent courses offered by AMES Australia several job seekers were offered employment after completing their two week placement and most were in employment in similar fields to their own within six months of completing this program. Potential improvements: internships made available to job seekers who complete their placements with participating employers; post-course job seeking support.

SEE program This program offers 650 hours of training to short and long term unemployed job seekers. It includes a strong IT component and language skills development to facilitate engagement in an activity where the job seeker would otherwise be isolated and unable to participate. Focus is on employability skills and giving job seekers the confidence to actively apply for work. Potential improvements: job seekers would gain increased benefit from this program if it included practical placement and post-course job-seeking support. This could potentially be achieved through a closer working relationship between Education and Employment service providers. For example: an employment agency refers the job seeker to a SEE provider, who delivers agreed training. The employment agency would then provide networking opportunities and practical placement which are both shown to increases chances of a job seeker gaining employment.

ACFE funded courses The Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board's Capacity and Innovation Fund provides opportunities for eligible providers to develop and implement projects designed to meet learner needs and to increase participation and attainment in pre-accredited training programs. AMES has been able to use this funding for short employment related programs. These include: - Skilling volunteers to provide assistance to job seekers - Introduction to Workplace Skills

Regional Resettlement for employment

Over the years AMES Australia has sought to expand its successful practice of supporting CALD job seekers to relocate to rural and regional areas within Victoria and interstate to take up employment opportunities and meet the labour needs of regional Australia. AMES continues to support refugees and migrants to resettle and take up employment with companies stretching from Nhill and Cobram in northern and western Victoria and to locations in NSW and Queensland. With planning and proper support disadvantaged job seekers on welfare and/or at risk of long term unemployment have successfully resettled in areas where there are jobs, affordable housing, improved standards of living and opportunities for young people to advance on career pathways. Conditions for the success of these initiatives include: - Employment (at different skill levels and in different industries)


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- Available and affordable housing - Strong leadership in the host community by local champions, influencers - Strong leadership within the settling community - Host community prepared for new settlers - Potential settlers prepared for their new community/environment - Support for families (partners, elders, children) - Opportunities and pathways for young people - Degree and complexity of ‘cultural adjustment’ on both sides considered and managed


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Outcomes of efforts to encourage greater labour participation of disadvantaged job seekers AMEP Job seekers who participate in the AMEP language and skills development programs do not commonly find employment directly on completion of their course/hours allocation. AMES Australia’s experience is that those clients who do find employment will take 6 to 12 months to succeed. However, as English language is a primary criteria for working in Australia, and lack of ‘functional English’ is a major barrier to employment, it is important to note that programs like the AMEP are essential to greater labour participation by disadvantaged CALD job seekers – as without these programs, many would not succeed in entering the Australia workforce at all.

AMEP targets integration into Australian society – delivered through increased English language skills and employment orientation and opportunities for social connection

AMEP includes an orientation to employment in Australia through general AMEP programs and particularly through SLPET. The SLPET experience and outcomes are program strengths

Community Hubs model: broaden the scope of structured, non-accredited and accredited English language programs. The Community Hubs program has grown exponentially since the first Hubs were piloted in Hume City in Victoria in 2011. In 2018, there were more than 79,776 adult hub attendances; 74 Hubs in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia with a key focus on assisting Hub participants to engage with the community through growing their confidence and skills, which may lead to employment or further education in the future. The overwhelming majority of Hub participants are female (95%) with dependent children either at the Hub or at the school (92%). Approximately 30% of Hub participants speak little or no English. The majority (76%) of Hub participants speak a language other than English in the home with almost half of these adults reporting they had not learnt English anywhere outside their Hub.16 Developing English skills is an important motivation for 38% of adults visiting a Hub Vocational training (Skills First) AMES Australia offers Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing, Home and Community) and Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care at sites across metropolitan Melbourne. These industry-specific vocational courses train and prepare clients for a job in aged care or childcare education in Australia. Both courses are delivered full time for approximately six months and include a minimum of 120 hours work placement. Research conducted with participants who exited AMES programs in 2014 and 2015 found that of the 167 respondents available for work, 74% had been employed before migrating to Australia. One third (34%) had worked in Australia prior to vocational training. Six months after completing vocational training 67% had found employment. Respondents available for work from both aged care and childcare education vocational courses had the same employment rate at 67%. These programs (delivered with Victorian Government funding, offer job seekers a pathway into, or back into, employment.17 Career Pathways Pilot for Humanitarian Entrants (CPP) AMES Australia’s delivery of the pilot started in July 2017 and finished at the end of June 2019.

361 refugees participated in the program. 104 secured employment, with the majority securing work in their previous profession or a related role. A further 170 were engaged in further study. At the end of the program a total of 75% of participants were progressing in their career pathway.18

Skilled Professional Migrants Program (SPMP) Outcome and impact measures for migrants and refugees with professional and para-professional skills focus on employment in areas that align with previous occupations, qualifications and skill sets. In summary for Skilled Professional Migrants Program (SPMP) clients:

employment outcomes averaged 83% with 58% finding professional work and a further 25% finding non-professional employment (618 clients surveyed 6–12 months after the program from 2010–2016)

16 National Community Hubs Program: 2017 Year in Review 17 Vocational Training for New Migrants: A Pathway into Carework - Employment experiences of clients in Certificate III at AMES Australia, AMES

Australia 2017 18 CPP Final Report, AMES News, July 2019


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employment outcomes were 81% finding work well matched to their profession and 19% finding non-professional employment (29 survey respondents in 2017)19

In early 2019 AMES Australia contacted 153 SPMP Alumni who identified as Skilled Migrants inviting them to participate in a survey about their migration experience. There were 63 responses to the survey. Responses to the question below show the program participant’s perception of the value of the program:

Do you think it would have helped you to find a job in Australia more suited to your skills and experience if you’d known earlier about the SPMP or other services AMES Australia offers? - 87.30% (55 responses) Yes - 12.70% (8 responses) No

Comments included: “Yes, because it helps to know how to write a CV correctly.” “Yes, because it closes the gaps with what local employers are looking for.”

Feedback on the program and types of support needed to find employment was collected at two focus groups, a group of 10 SPMP Alumni and a group of seven skilled migrants who had not done SPMP.

SPMP alumni were unanimous that they wished they had found AMES Australia’s SPMP sooner. They believed that the knowledge and skills they gained from the SPMP, such as help to research their industry and jobs, tailoring their resume, networking and experience from the mentoring program were key contributors in achieving success with employment. They confirmed how vital knowledge about how to navigate the Australian job market is to a successful skilled migration experience.

The main difficulties for skilled migrants who had not attended SPMP was the lack of a support system and lack of knowledge of how to find the information they needed.

Both focus groups identified the issue of lacking local work experience as a barrier facing new skilled migrants, but those who attended SPMP felt that the knowledge and mentor support they received helped them to overcome this barrier eventually.

Industry Workplace Employment Program (IWEP)

90% of clients completed a two-week industry work placement 6 clients secured employment during or at the end of the program

Regional resettlement AMES Australia has successfully supported the establishment and growth of regional settlement in rural and regional Victoria. Its research with Deloitte Access Economics documents how bringing together local community stakeholders and employment service providers with job seeker communities can help develop solutions that suit the needs of both job seekers and local employers and, at the same time, rejuvenate regional communities. Nhill 20 In 2014-2015 AMES Australia with Deloitte Access Economics undertook an evaluation of the economic and social impact of the resettlement of a community of refugees from Burma (around 40 Karen families) in the small rural township of Nhill in North West Victoria. In terms of economic impacts:

- The impact on GRP over the 5-year period of analysis (2009/10 – 2013/14) was assessed at $41.5 million in NPV terms.

- In terms of jobs created over the period of analysis there was an overall increase of 70.5 FTE equating to 3% of total employment in Hindmarsh Shire.

- The additional labour force provided by the Karen eased a capacity constraint on local production at Luv-a-Duck and allowed the business to expand considerably.

In terms of impacts for the Karen and evidence of the sustainability of this resettlement, by 2018:

- Karen population in Nhill had grown to 200 (close to 10% growth to Nhill’s population - In every household at least one person was employed - More than 50 Karen were still employed at Luv-a-Duck - 10 other businesses around Nhill employed 27 Karen - 6 of these were qualified nurses at the town’s health service

19 Social Impact Report, AMES Australia, 2018 20 Small Towns Big Returns: economic and social impact of the Karen resettlement in Nhill, AMES Australia & Deloitte Access Economics, 2015


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- 8 worked on local farms - A group of Karen women had opened social enterprise business, selling hand sewn items, in one of the

empty shop fronts on the main street in Nhill. - Children born in refugee camps have been to university and returned to Nhill as professionals - 24 families have bought their own homes

Bendigo 21 According to the 2016 Census, over the ten years since 2007, more than 800 Karen people have settled in Bendigo. Between 2015 and 2018 AMES conducted structured surveys with Karen people living in Bendigo: data was collected on 116 Karen households, comprising 574 individuals. Analysis of this data and interviews with service providers and employers in the area found that:

Settlement of the Karen has been sustained and has progressively contributed to a more ethnically diverse Bendigo, impacting many aspects of Bendigo society. Similarly to Nhill, key dimensions of the social value contributed include: - The younger age demographic is contributing to redressing a declining working age population, has flow

on effects for the economy and represents future opportunities to multiply benefits already realised for Bendigo.

- The Karen are benefitting from an increased likelihood of employment and associated improved standards of living.

- There are increased opportunities and career pathways for the young Karen, many of whom are committed to remaining in Bendigo.

As in the small rural economy of Nhill, the availability of regular, reliable and fair work at a large employer, Hazeldenes Chicken Farm Pty Ltd, has been a significant drawcard in attracting and retaining the Karen in Bendigo. (29 families in AMES survey are buying a house and local agencies report that at least 52 houses have been purchased by the Karen population).

In addition to this social contribution, the economic modelling results provide an indication of the scale of the economic benefits: - In net present value terms (NPV) over a 10 year period, the total economic impact on the regional

economy is estimated to have been $67.1 million

- The associated impact on employment is 177 full-time-equivalent (FTE) employed.

Grampians and Loddon Mallee AMES Australia is currently working with Regional Development Victoria on a DSS-funded program (Try, Test and Learn) which will support the resettlement of refugee families in regional locations where there are labour shortages. The purpose of the funding is to support new or innovative approaches to support people at risk of long-term welfare dependence through small-scale trials that are aimed at improving workforce participation, or capacity to work, for those people at risk of long-term welfare dependence. The initiative will test the hypothesis that if appropriate and sustainable jobs, a welcoming community, family appropriate services and social participation opportunities are in place, refugees and recently arrived migrants will be attracted to and settle in regional Victoria – delivering mutual economic and social benefits to refugee families and the communities in which they settle. Families will be resettled across two settlement locations, the Grampians and the Loddon Mallee regions. AMES and its subcontractors will work with delivery partners Regional Development Victoria (RDV) Melbourne, RDV Grampians Region, RDV Loddon Mallee Region, and the Grampians Region and Loddon Mallee Region local councils.

21 Regional Futures: economic and social impact of the Karen in Bendigo, AMES Australia & Deloitte Access Economics, 2018


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Education and training needs to support disadvantaged job seekers transitioning into work Through our English language programs, vocational training programs and jobactive employment services AMES Australia has significant experience working with CALD groups and first-hand knowledge of the challenges they face in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. In 2017-18 AMES worked with over 3,000 CALD clients in pre-accredited language programs; over 3,000 CALD clients in Skill First courses; 876 in Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) programs and 475 new arrivals in the Adult Migrant English Program. 22 During the same period AMES worked with 18,840 job seekers from CALD backgrounds (55% of our total jobactive caseload). 21% of these (3,955) were from refugee backgrounds. Ability to speak English: the AMEP and ‘functional English’ The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) is the Australian Government’s largest settlement programme. The AMEP helps new arrivals learn basic English skills that will assist them to successfully settle and confidently participate socially and economically in Australia. It is an integral part of a suite of Australian Government settlement services and makes a major contribution to facilitating the transition to social inclusion and economic participation of migrants and refugees in Australia. Specifically, the program is intended to assist eligible migrants and Humanitarian Entrants develop English language skills in order to access services, prepare for and secure employment, undertake further study or training, establish social networks and participate in the community. Functional English: what is functional English? This is an important question, because only migrants and refugees assessed as not having functional English can study in the AMEP. And yet ‘functional English’ as defined by the government and various language assessment scales today is generally regarded as well below the level required in most workplaces and TAFE courses. Yet once a student is assessed as having functional English they are no longer eligible for the AMEP.23 AMES Australia has delivered English language services across Victoria for more than 60 years, and our experience is that the AMEP in its current manifestation and capped hours of tuition is failing to assist many CALD job seekers to find and keep employment. Potential improvements: a recent paper by the Scanlon Institute summarises the changes that could help the AMEP better support settlement and employment outcomes for migrants and refugees.

1. Extend the time in which migrants can enrol in and complete the AMEP, while continuing to encourage migrants to start the program as soon as possible after arrival.

2. Uncap the AMEP Extend sub-program, so that all students can study at least 1000 hours. 3. Maintain and extend the AMEP sub-program, the Settlement Language Pathways into Education and Training

(SLPET). 4. Restore government funding for independent research on the AMEP. 5. Promote a diversity of ways to deliver the AMEP, notably in online and distance learning. 6. Restate the settlement focus of the AMEP as part of developing more sophisticated and realistic outcome

measures for the program. 7. Incorporate English language learning into more personalised approaches to settlement services.24

Community Hubs Australia (CHA): alternative English language and vocational training model In 2018, Community Hubs Australia (CHA) received funding from the Australian Department of Social Services to run a twelve-month English language pilot program across the Hub network, as well as grant funding through the Women’s Leadership and Development Program to enable Hubs to provide child minding services alongside English and skills training programs. English language programs within Hubs are flexible, inclusive of all participants and change in response to participant needs. Community Hubs provide an ideal environment for low-level learners, and both a suitable alternative and stepping stone or pathway to other English language or vocational programs within the wider adult education system.

22 AMES Australia 2017 -2018 Annual Report 23 http://scanloninstitute.org.au/static/narrative_booklet_3.025d4a21.pdf 24 Ibid


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There is high demand for English language programs across the Hub network, as English is recognised as a pathway to community participation, education and employment. Potential improvements

Childminding is central for Hub participants to engage with English language activities that focus primarily on

adults. On-going funding for child care/minding is needed to facilitate access to English and vocational

training for women.

Partnerships with education providers including ACE or Learn Local Organisations and TAFEs, could broaden

the scope of structured, non-accredited and accredited English language programs.

Further Vocational Education and Training Previous education background and very minimal English skills are the major barriers to refugees and migrants undertaking any vocational study using existing models in TAFE Institutes. The time it will take people to develop confident foundation skills and a sufficient level of competence in industry-level technical skills (i.e. achieve a VET outcome) from this starting point should not be underestimated. AMES Australia’s experience is that the majority of new arrivals are highly motivated to start work as soon as possible after they arrive in Australia. Without supported access to VET that is customised to their particular needs these new arrivals are at risk of not reaching their employment goals; and employers do not have the opportunity to realise the potential contribution of this cohort to the Australian workforce. The VET system could be more effective for, and inclusive of, CALD participants, including disadvantaged job seekers such as those currently unemployed and at risk of unemployment and those with low literacy and numeracy skills. Potential improvements to increase access and outcomes for CALD job seekers include:

- Bridging courses

- Stronger Adult Community Education (ACE) and TAFE linkages

- Recognition of skills set training

- Reducing funding and course access barriers for disadvantaged cohorts

Bridging courses SEE program Strengths of the SEE Program are that it develops job seeking skills (e.g. job applications and interview skills) and includes a substantial IT component which develops job seeker’s computer literacy skills. There is also a strong focus on language, literacy and numeracy skills.

However, the program design fails job seekers who are closer to being job ready as it lacks a practical placement component. Many job seekers in this program have been long term unemployed and do not have the networks or confidence to re-enter the workforce. AMES Australia’s experience is that practical placements are one of the most successful ways to transition CALD job seekers into work.

Skills First program Language, literacy and computer skills are developed in the program which includes a practical placement component at higher levels. This offers job seekers the opportunity to observe Australian workplaces and develop networking opportunities as a stepping stone to employment.

AMES Australia has delivered specific short courses combining English language tuition and vocational training in conjunctions with TAFEs, e.g bricklaying course, insulation course, hair and beauty.

Potential Improvement: It has been complex to find ways to fund and deliver this type of training. Future exploration of funding models for short ‘skills sets and English for the workplace’ type courses, developed in partnership with employers and TAFEs, could have significant outcomes for some CALD job seekers. Reconnect AMES Australia Reconnect program works with young people aged 17-24 from CALD and indigenous backgrounds who have left school without completing Year 12 and are not in education, training or full-time employment, or are aged 20-24 and completed Year 12 but have been unemployed for more than 12 months. The program is delivered across Metropolitan Melbourne. AMES Reconnect aims to integrate all participants into full-time education and or employment within 12 months of commencing the program. AMES currently supports 130 young people through Reconnect. Outcomes are measured in terms of continued engagement in program activities and post program pathways. Assessment is undertaken across the duration of the program with the dual aims of facilitating the development of Individual Learning Plans and evaluating the effectiveness of the program.


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Since commencing delivery of Reconnect in 2016 AMES has had an 87% success rate in maintaining engagement of participants. In the 12 months from July 2017 to June 2018:

- 74 Individual Learning Plans were developed - 58 in full-time education within 12 months of commencing the program - 16 in part-time education within 12 months of commencing the program - 48 in employment within 12 months of commencing the program.

Impacts for individuals have included stopping four young people becoming homeless; reducing anti-social behaviour by working with key gang members and supporting them into full-time employment; and addressing drug and alcohol issues and the associated mental and physical health issues for the majority of participants. Foundation Skills Adult Community Further Education (ACFE)

ACFE funding is directed to community-based organisations, for the delivery of education and training programs to a broad range of Victorians over compulsory school-leaving age – young people, older people, people with special needs, people from diverse cultural backgrounds – with a special focus on people who have had limited prior access to education.

Programs are designed to be flexible to meet learners' needs and support them to return to study, improve their literacy and numeracy skills, gain a qualification, broaden their employment options and learn new skills.

The profile of Adult CALD learners is diverse and complex: cultural background, previous education and work history, the nature of their journey to Australia and their connections within local communities are more likely to determine an individual’s education, training and employment needs than length of residence in Australia.

Using this funding, AMES Australia has delivered English programs for small groups in primary schools, community centres and libraries to each people who may not have the confidence or skills to access training at TAFE or in other formal environments.

Potential Improvements:

- Additional career pathway support to assist CALD job seekers develop and manage their pathway to employment through education or allied services

- Increased flexibility - adjusting pathways in response to emerging opportunities and issues - introduce a pre-accredited course that focuses on orientation to Australian workplace culture

Stronger Adult Community and Further Education (ACFE) and TAFE linkages

ACFE/TAFE pathways Gaining an Australian qualification is often a key component in securing employment for CALD job seekers. When these job seekers must undertake training in a strictly linear way – achieving a high level of English language before commencing vocational training – pathways to work are delayed.

Insufficient levels of English language continues to present a significant barrier to retention in and successful completion of vocational courses. [There are also a significant number of non- CALD Australians requiring literacy support to successfully complete such vocational training].

The training system is generally not set up to cater well to these cohorts. It is imperative to provide more flexible access for job seekers who require foundation skills to developed language and literacy concurrently with vocational skills. Freeing up the system to accommodate and encourage cooperation is an essential component of success.

ACFE funding can provide scope to deliver various programs catering to specific groups who would otherwise be disengaged due to personal, family or transport issues. However, training that relies on specialist facilities cannot be delivered in these environments and/or by all providers.

Potential improvement: develop models that provide pathways across both the ACFE and TAFE sectors – both sequentially and concurrently. This would facilitate learners undertaking units from courses across more than one provider – for example, where they enrol with a smaller Adult, Community and Further Education provider because they lack foundation skills or confidence but wish to transition to a vocational course in a trade area that only TAFE Institutes have the infrastructure to deliver. There is an opportunity to focus on strengthening the links and pathways between TAFE and Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) sectors. Establishing and building on existing models that facilitate these sectors working together in the interests of learner pathways will create stronger pathways to transition disadvantaged job seekers into employment.

Recognition of skills set training


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There is an understandable focus on targets for completion of qualifications at federal and state level. This is driven by projections of skill shortages and the need to increase the numbers of workers with higher qualification levels. At the same time, education and training systems must be able to accommodate the needs of individuals and businesses. AMES Australia’s experience in providing training, particularly for CALD job seekers who urgently need employment, is that they will complete limited ‘skills sets’ accredited training to meet employer requirements and start work as soon as possible, rather than undertaking lengthy full qualifications training and then seeking work.

For those refugees or other migrants with low levels of literacy, completing a whole certificate prior to gaining employment is not realistic and is not the most effective pathway to first step low level skilled or unskilled employment. It is equally important that training does not cease with this first step employment and that workers are not consigned to low skilled employment in the long term.

Potential improvement: A flexible system would ensure that qualifications could be completed in small steps as the job seeker has the capacity to undertake them, or as the employer requires them. The objective would still be to complete qualifications but over a longer timeframe combined with work and other life and settlement pressures. This flexibility would also facilitate increased responsiveness in meeting the changing skill needs of industry. Reducing funding and course access barriers for disadvantaged cohorts Reducing funding and course access barriers to job seeker pathways could facilitate greater transition to employment. Ensuring eligibility for government supported training and maximising career and work options through foundation and vocational training should be enabled. Employment services: support to meet education and training needs Jobactive providers can provide some assistance for job seekers with education and training needs; funds are available through the Employment Fund. And while there is currently a focus on this by AMES Australia as a jobactive provider, compared to previous Employment Services contracts there are few incentives for jobactive providers to focus on education and training outcomes. Education and/or volunteering as a means of gaining Australian ‘work experience’, while necessary pathways for many CALD job seekers, are not given due recognition as outcomes in jobactive.

For example: education is no longer an outcomes measure for job seekers older than 21. This has the potential to result in poorer outcomes for refugee and other disadvantaged CALD job seekers over 21 years old who require a lengthier pathway to sustainable employment.

Potential improvement: providing, at minimum, a Star Rating recognition of education outcomes for completion of training and/or education programs, would provide an incentive to increase the focus on upskilling job seekers.

Working with employers: mentoring

Where the AMEP, Vocational Education and Training and jobactive Employment Services work directly with employers, English language functionality, skills for the workplace and employment outcomes will be enhanced.

AMES Australia Education staff working directly with CALD job seekers wanting to transition to work report that a large number of clients experience a gap of six to twelve months between competing an employment-focused course (eg SLPET) and finding work.

Jobactive Employment staff also report that where training is designed to meet both job seeker and employer needs, combined with a mentor/buddy on site, employment outcomes are improved.

Potential improvement: establishing mentoring programs, buddy-systems and career pathway support post training would improve networks and increase speed of transition to employment. Volunteer-led job clubs have proven effective in helping CALD job seekers understand Australian workplaces and networking.


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Interstate and overseas best practice models that could be implemented in Victoria While there are dozens of employment initiatives that could be explored for implementation, this section of the response will refer to only a few reasonably current programs, international and being delivered within Australia (including in Victoria), which could contribute to ‘best practice’ models for Victoria.

International programs Overcoming the barriers to labour market integration There is general agreement internationally on what is considered ‘best-practice’ for labour market integration. Early intervention, skills assessment and recognition, labour market support programs, social capital, coordination across jurisdictions and public-private partnerships are common integration strategies across much of Europe and North America for humanitarian migrants and asylum seekers. 25 Germany: recognising overseas skills and qualifications Recognising overseas skills and qualifications has been a long-standing goal for Australian policy makers. The variety of quality and methods for skills and qualifications across the world make this a difficult process. The goal is to provide a signal to employers about how new migrants are able to hit the ground running in occupations because they have training, experience and qualifications. In Germany, humanitarian migrants who receive recognition for skills and qualifications gained pre-migration were 23% more likely to work and 28% more likely to earn more. [The report also notes that in Norway, 50% of humanitarian migrants who obtained recognition found a related job or entered further education in that field.] Germany’s system of recognising skills and education is considered best practice. However this system has evolved over a long period of time and has achieved industry buy-in on a national scale, with numerous local adaptations evolving in response to the large flows of humanitarian migrants over the past two years. One example of innovation was developed to deal with the inflow of Syrian and other humanitarian migrants which commenced in 2014. German authorities looked at new processes to allow employers more certainty with regard to experience and occupational readiness. One of the most promising examples replaced traditional systems of recognition which work well under normal circumstances with online tests and video-based certification. While these new processes are not formal certification, targeted occupational modules – such as mechanics – were tested to assess the level of job readiness and act as a skills assessment to identify where more training may be required. The key goal was to make clear to employers and humanitarian migrants alike what the expectations are through standard tests and modules about occupations in the German labour market. Unlike many other parts of the skills recognition system in German, these processes are light-touch and designed to be a unified signal to employers across the country, instead of a federated certificate. The use of video and online platform can deliver scale, a major barrier for many skills recognition processes.26 For Australia, as for other countries around the globe, addressing skills recognition issues is one of the more promising methods to reduce the opportunity cost of humanitarian migrants working below their skill level. New Zealand: learning from our neighbours The Investment Approach to welfare has been successful in New Zealand since 2011. It involves identifying the disadvantaged people who are most likely to remain on income support for long periods of time and intervening early with targeted support to improve their employment outcomes and prevent long-term dependence on income support. The New Zealand government’s assessment of the approach in 2015 showed positive results particularly in improving employment outcomes for disadvantaged job seekers, youth and single parents. 27

25 Settling Better; reforming refugee employment and settlement services, Centre for Policy Development, 2017. 26 Ibid 27 Ibid

https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/evaluation/investment-approach/index.html

https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/evaluation/investment-approach/2015-index.html


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Australian programs Australia federal and state governments have a number of employment initiatives and trials in place. Two programs which are trialling a similar approach to the New Zealand Investment Approach are the federally funded (DSS) Try, Test & Learn (TTL), and in Victoria the Partnerships Addressing Disadvantage (PADs). Try, Test & Learn (TTL): using insights from the Australian Priority Investment Approach to Welfare, Try, Test and Learn Fund is trialling new or innovative approaches to assist some of the most vulnerable in society onto a path towards stable, sustainable independence. The fund focuses on priority groups identified, through analysis of Priority Investment Approach data and other policy considerations, as being at high risk of long-term welfare dependency. Partnerships Addressing Disadvantage (PADs): an innovative way to reduce deep-seated disadvantage and provide demonstrably better outcomes for vulnerable individuals in Victoria. This approach brings together the public, private and not-for-profit sectors; complements other programs and does not replace existing services. Another Victoria initiative which has been well received is the Jobs Victoria Employment Network (JVEN). The Victorian Government Jobs Victoria Employment Network (JVEN) program is intended to address the gap in providing assistance to disadvantaged job seekers, including refugees and asylum seekers. JVEN service providers are specialists at working with disadvantaged groups and leverage their links with industry in target industries to place people into jobs. JVENs offer flexible services designed to meet the needs of job seekers facing barriers to employment and are responsive to particular local/regional needs; link to community support services; and provide services that address gaps in and complement existing services. In line with this more humanistic approach, performance and incentive systems could consider recognising broader social and economic participation progress, in addition to direct placement in employment. This is particularly relevant when working with refugee job seekers who may have a longer and more complex pathway into the Australian workforce. Signed:

For further information please contact: Catherine Scarth Chief Executive Officer AMES Australia Ph: Mobile: Email:

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