Rudd Government’s Productive Ageing Package

Posted February 3rd 2010

by DPS

The Rudd Government has launched a new $43.3 million Productive Ageing Package to provide vital training and support for older Australians who want to stay in the workforce.

Treasurer, Wayne Swan, and Minister for Employment Participation, Mark Arbib, have announced the new measures which harness the tremendous skills and experience of older Australians.

The Productive Ageing Package will help us tackle the economic challenges of an ageing population by helping to retain the expertise of older Australians in the workforce and transfer it to younger Australians said Mr Swan.

The new Productive Ageing Package builds on the Government’s measures to support older Australians, in particular the historic boost to the Aged Pension delivered last year. This included the introduction of a new Work Bonus allowing age pensioners to retain more of their income under the pension means-test.

“While many Australians are looking forward to their hard-earned retirement, the package is designed to support the many mature workers who are keen to remain in the workforce,” Senator Arbib said.

Through the Productive Ageing Package, the Australian Government is committing $18.8 million to help mature age workers stay in employment and to support skills transfer.

This includes:

2,000 training packages for employers to allow eligible mature age workers to retrain as supervisors or trainers of young apprentices or as workplace assessors;
50 funding grants for Golden Gurus organisations to connect mature age people who are retired, semi-retired or not working full-time with employers of trade apprentices; and
face-to-face job support and training for 2,000 eligible mature-age workers with a health condition or injury which impacts on their ability to do their job.

The Government is also committing $23.5 million to help mature age workers transition to new employment through Job Services Australia, including assistance through the Employment Pathway Fund for training relevant to the job seeker’s needs.

Up to 8,000 mature-age workers in physically demanding roles and about 1,600 recently retrenched job seekers will benefit from the support of Job Services Australia.

These job seekers will have access to Stream 2 assistance with a Job Services Australia provider for up to 12 months to help them transition to a new role, occupation or industry.

Job seekers and workers aged 45 years and over will also be eligible for free, professional career advice to help them plan for successful career transitions.

Qualified career advisers will be available for one-on-one career advice sessions and to make sure as many people as possible can access this support.

Mr Swan said the Government would also establish a Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation to advise on further measures to help mature age workers who want to remain in the workforce.

The forum will include seniors groups, employment service providers, education and training providers, trade unions and health and ageing experts and will meet for the first time later this month.

Chairman of National Seniors Australia, Everald Compton, will be the inaugural Chairman of the Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation.

The Consultative Forum will begin early this year and provide advice to the Government until at least July 2012. The other measures commence on 1 July and continue until 2014.

For advice, mature age workers and job seekers can call 13 17 64 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday). More information is available at http://www.keepaustraliaworking.gov.au