‘Grow Your Own’ funding an opportunity for regional business development

Round two of Jobs Queensland’s ‘Grow Your Own’ (GYO) Regional Workforce Program has seen over $600,000 invested in five projects, with the hopes of tackling regional workforce challenges.

According to Jobs Queensland, these five initiatives include:

1. Screen Queensland will collaborate with industry leaders and training organisations on a local skills development program for game developers on the Sunshine Coast.
2. The Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL) will establish a micro-credential to skill up and accredit security officers in Cairns and Townsville.
3. Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers Ltd will establish new employment pathways for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds working in Toowoomba’s agriculture industry.
4. The Queensland Trucking Association will deliver a pre-apprenticeship and upskilling training program for transport and logistics in Townsville.
5. The Greater Whitsunday Digital Skills Program will support the uplift of business digital literacy within the region.

Through these Grow Your Own projects, investors have an opportunity to contribute to developing businesses in remote communities.

Jobs Queensland board chair Jim Varghese said: “From North to Townsville and West to Toowoomba, these ‘grow your own’ initiatives will deliver solutions tailored to each specific region and industry.

“We heard from industry and regional stakeholders and will now support them to deliver solutions to challenges they identified. I look forward to seeing how industries, regions and residents thrive as a result of these ‘grow your own’ projects.”

Round one of the GYO included Bundaberg’s food and beverage manufacturing sector; the Wide Bay’s forestry sector; Cairns’ maritime, marine, and aviation sectors; and the Far North’s water sector.

ASIAL CEO Bryan de Caires said: “Having a bespoke course, tailored to the needs of the security industry will build the capability and capacity of existing workers to meet future skills needs, particularly in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The course will be delivered in the regions first because that is where there is a pressing need right now, however who knows where this could end up. The industry is eager and excited to get started.”

For those interested in round three of the program, applications are now open, with up to $2 million available for industries or regions to tackle workforce challenges.

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Jack Campbell is the editor of Broker Daily. After graduating from the University of Wollongong in 2022, Jack began his journalistic career working on Broker Daily’s sister brand, HR Leader. In August 2023 he was made the news editor and worked alongside some talented journalists writing articles and recording podcasts.

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