The Federal Government has announced a range of initiatives designed to keep mature age Australian people within the workforce.

 

Among the initiatives announced:

  • An expansion to the $43 million Experience+ program to extend the support available to workers aged 50 years and over, down from a previous minimum of 55 years. The Experience+ program includes:
    • Grants of $4950 for employers of mature age workers to assist workers to participate in training or to up-skill and become mentors or supervisors of apprentices and trainees;
    • On-the-job support for mature age workers whose jobs may be at risk due to health condition, injury or disability;
    • Free, professional career advice for mature age job seekers and workers; and
    • Job transition support to employees in physically demanding jobs in priority employment areas and eligible retrenched workers.
  • An Investing in Experience Employment Charter, which outlines goals for employers to assist them to achieve best practice in the recruitment and retention of mature age people.
  • An Investing in Experience Toolkit that has been developed in partnership with the Australian industry Group, which will provide critical resources in supporting employers to implement the Charter and help them better support mature age workers; and
  • A new Corporate Champions project to be led by the Australian Industry Group and the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry that will see companies promoting the benefits of hiring mature age workers to employers across Australia.

 

These initiatives form part of the Government’s Experience+ suite of programs delivered under the four-year, $43 million Productive Ageing Package to provide training and support for older Australians who want to stay in the workforce.

 

The Experience+ program commenced on 1 July 2010 and provides training, career advice, on the job support and job transition support for mature age workers and their employees.

 

For more information visit www.deewr.gov.au/experienceplus