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Media Statements

Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts

21/10/2009

Vocational training opens employment opportunities for prisoners.

A project at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre (LGCC) is targeting post-release employment opportunities for Indigenous prisoners.

Corrective Services Minister Neil Roberts said the Aurukun Throughcare Project was a mining-related vocational training program for indigenous offenders from communities in the Western Cape.

"I am advised that Rio Tinto Bauxite's expansion into Aurukun territory is imminent and there is a requirement that 20 per cent of the overall workforce in the Aurukun Bauxite project come from the local Indigenous Communities," Mr Roberts said.

"LGCC has partnered with Rio Tinto Bauxite to provide meaningful employment opportunities for Indigenous prisoners."

Mr Roberts, who visited Lotus Glenn Correctional Centre today, said 14 Western Cape offenders were currently enrolled as full time students in the program.

"The program runs four mornings a week for 44 weeks and is expected to finish around early May 2010," he said. < br>
"Prisoner interest is high and their level of participation reflects this."

Mr Roberts said the course alternates between theoretical and practical learning.

"LGCC has collaborated with Adult Education Vocation Employment and Training, Rio Tinto, Cape Communities, and Tropical North Queensland TAFE to develop the course structure," he said.

"Training module selection will be reviewed to mirror the training delivered by Rio Tinto.

"This will allow Rio Tinto to explore direct streaming of prisoners into employment on release with the assistance of Probation and Parole staff in the communities."

Mr Roberts said LGCC had an Indigenous prisoner base of between 70 and 80 per cent.

"Many of these prisoners come from remote indigenous communities," he said.

"A unique vocational training strategy is required.

"LGCC developed their current Vocational Education Training (VET) policy as a direct result of community c onsultative visits to the remote indigenous communities serviced by the centre."

Mr Roberts said prisoners were offered a number of courses through VET.

"Prisoners can gain certificates in areas where they are likely to gain employment after their release," he said.

"These courses improve prisoners' work skills and their employment prospects upon release from prison.

"Research has shown that prisoners who are in meaningful employment are less likely to re-offend."

Queensland Corrective Services delivers nationally-accredited VET through a partnership with the Department of Education, Training and the Arts.

In the 2008-09 about 32,900hours of VET was delivered to 4567 prisoners across Queensland.

Media contact: (07) 3239 0199

 




Last updated: 22 October 2009