The Victorian Government will create 600 new disability support jobs as part of a program to help people learn new skills and support Victorians with a disability.

Through the $619 million Jobs Victoria initiative, the Government will invest $5 million to fund training and facilitate work placements for hundreds of new support workers.

The innovative ‘earn and learn’ model will allow participants to complete 12-month traineeships while working in their new job.

Jobs Victoria will fund training towards a Certificate III or IV, personalised mentoring, industry engagement, project management and evaluation.

The scheme focuses on supporting job seekers hardest hit by the pandemic, including women aged over 45, young people, and long-term unemployed Victorians.

The first employer to join the ‘earn and learn’ scheme, Possability, has already recruited eight new workers – including Carl Hung, who is training as a disability support professional after spending 30 years as a tourism operator and guide before losing his business when the pandemic hit.

Carl hails from Taiwan and is now providing care for Zhang Zhang, a former film producer who suffered an acquired brain injury in 2020.

The program is a partnership between the Government, RMIT, National Disability Services and disability service organisations.

The program is being funded as part of the $250 million Jobs Victoria Fund – which is one arm of the Job Victoria initiative – is creating 10,000 steady and secure jobs for those most impacted by the pandemic.

For more information go to jobs.vic.gov.au.