About Us

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Workforce Australia Local Jobs

Employment Facilitators are on the ground in 51 Employment Regions and bring together local employment and skills services, employers and community organisations to connect people to training, job opportunities and support services. They focus on connecting, collaborating and building capacity within the community to help meet local workforce needs.

Each Employment Facilitator has access to flexible funding to support small employment activities and collaborative community initiatives.

We recognise local knowledge gets people back into jobs quickly.

Workforce Australia Local Jobs includes the following key elements:

  • Local Employment Facilitator
  • Local Support Officer
  • Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce
  • Local Jobs Plan
  • Local Recovery Fund to address employment and training priorities and identify opportunities to better skill individuals to meet local employer demand
  • Access to a Local Initiatives Fund to support and deliver small scale local activities to respond to community priorities that improve local labour market functioning

Recognising that labour markets vary across Australia, local labour market data is provided by Jobs and Skills Australia. This ensures the Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce understands shortages and predicted future trends to drive local training responses informed by evidence.

Workforce Australia Local Jobs runs until 30 June 2025.

The Barwon Region

Expanding over the lands of the Wadawurrung and Eastern Marr peoples, the Barwon region includes the Local Government Areas of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Queenscliffe and parts of Golden Plains.

Geelong is the largest regional city in Victoria and serves as the major centre for many of the surrounding areas providing diverse employment opportunities. The largest employing industries are Health Care and Social Assistance, Construction, Retail Trade, Education and Training and Manufacturing.

Projects commenced or planned for the region include the construction of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, the Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the 12 Apostles Precinct Redevelopment, Social and affordable housing in East Geelong and Geelong, the Surf Coast Aquatic and Health Centre, the Armstrong Creek Sports Centre and the Waurn Ponds Sporting Complex.

Meet the Team

Tracey is a qualified careers counsellor with a background in educational leadership across the secondary and higher education sectors. Tracey has previously led the region’s Skills and Jobs Centre, a service introduced to provide free and impartial careers counselling and employment support for all Victorians.

Tracey is passionate about promoting lifelong learning and increasing engagement in employment and training. As Employment Facilitator for the Barwon Region, Tracey looks forward to creating and maintaining professional relationships to work collaboratively for the betterment of all community members in our region.

After spending a number of years working in Human Resources in the Alberta Rockies in Canada, Tracey loves to snowboard and get to the mountains whenever she can. However, you’ll often find her at the beach with her family in any free time.

Michael recently joined our team having previously worked in Forest Management. Michael has an MBA and a strong background working with schools and local community groups to promote both the Forestry and Environmental Management sectors. He is excited to put his prior industry experience to good use and contribute to promoting employment in the Barwon Region.

Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce

Each Employment Region has a Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce, chaired by an Employment Facilitator. The Barwon Taskforce consists of 10 members that represent, and are reflective of, their community. The Barwon taskforce includes local stakeholders such as employers and industry groups, community organisations, education and training providers, Employment Services Providers, and state government representatives. Taskforce members volunteer their time and are highly valued for bringing their industry or community perspectives to the taskforce, and for informing local initiatives in their regions.

The Barwon Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce meets regularly to develop a shared understanding of their region. They develop solutions to help more of the community to connect with quality job opportunities, improve their skills and assist employers to meet their labour and skills needs.

The taskforce plays a central role in connecting, coordinating and leveraging existing programs and aligning efforts on the ground to ensure collaboration is maximised, duplication is minimised, and outcomes are achieved. They work with the Employment Facilitator to develop and implement the Barwon Region’s Local Jobs Plan. The plan identifies key employment and training priorities and provides a framework for how to assist individuals and employers.

Matt began his journey in Employment Services in 2006, now achieving over 16 years in the industry has a strong knowledge of how Commonwealth and State Employment services operate. Matt has held Senior Management positions within Jobs Services Australia, now formally known as Workforce Australia, managing Metropolitan regions and Barwon regions as a part of his portfolio.

Matt then progressed to be the National Program Manager for Bounce Australia for 7 years, working closely with executives, management, staff and jobseekers within JobActive and Disability Services. Matt managed over 30 Coaches who delivered Behavioural Based Training to Employment Service Providers around Australia, New Zealand and USA. Matt then led a large pilot leading up to the new Workforce Australia Contract through the Department of Education, Skills and Employments economic division, where soft skills were measured to understand what impact these had on jobseekers engagement and willingness to become employed.

Matt worked with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions as the Senior Coordinator of several regions including Ovens Murray, Mallee, Wimmera Sth Mallee, Barwon and Great South Coast before working as Acting Manager from December 2022 through to June 2023.

For the past 8 months, Matt has been working as a Senior Stakeholder Engagement Officer for Apprenticeships Victoria. He has been a strong part of the Local Taskforces in the Goulburn Murray under Facilitator Brendan Sheridan and also in the Wimmera Sth Mallee Taskforce under Facilitator Tony Laria.

Jo has an extensive background in Tourism and Hospitality and has been engaged as a Manager at Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT) for the past 7 years. She’s passionate about the Visitor Economy and contributing to the development, management and market positioning of the Great Ocean Road and its surrounding areas.

Jo’s been instrumental in driving the development of the Tourism Jobs Bank initiatives and works closely with Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine (TGGB) on regional initiatives.

As well as Jo’s extensive experience in the Tourism Industry, she boasts a range of skills in Financial Services and Property that add to her ability to develop, innovate and consult the Barwon Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce.

Brooke holds a Diploma in Youth Work and has extensive experience working in the Mental Health sector with a focus on Youth Employment.

Brooke comes to the Local Jobs and Skills Taskforce with over 20 years’ experience working in the Community sector addressing the barriers to employment. Brooke has worked with some of the areas largest organisations on the implementation of Trainee and Apprenticeship programs.

The GROW (Growing Regional Opportunities for Work) network is made up of businesses, government and community organisations working together in the G21 Region, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepparton and Gippsland to create regional pathways to employment and more job opportunities for people with barriers to work. Supporting equity and a stronger regional economy through social procurement.

Ricky is a proud Dja Dja Wurrung man, a father of two daughters, a lifelong Dees supporter and the Managing Director of Wan-Yaari Aboriginal Consultancy Services.

Wan-Yaari is an Aboriginal owned and operated business providing professional and empowering services to the Aboriginal Community and local organisations. “Wan-Yaari” means to Listen, Learn and Understand, which underpins their philosophy in designing and delivering programs in an inclusive, engaging and culturally appropriate way.

Ricky has over 12 years’ experience working within the Aboriginal Community in Education, Employment and Justice sectors, and demonstrates the very highest standards of management, administration and governance. He is a highly dedicated and passionate Aboriginal consultant who is committed to driving work to address disadvantages, reduce Aboriginal unemployment rates, improve pathways to employment and make a real difference within the local community.  

Wayne has lived and contributed to the Geelong region for over 30 years, and he brings a depth of experience in the fields of education, business, strategic change management and community engagement.

He has experience in management roles in the VET sector, jobactive network, and business start-ups throughout Australia. Wayne’s focus continues to be on engaging with the community and developing positive outcomes for the community.

Maurice is the Regional Manager for atWork Australia in the Barwon Region. He’s worked in the employment service sector since 2015 and has led teams in the local area to deliver sustainable employment outcomes. Throughout this time, he has worked with and built relationships with community organisations, businesses, training services, and government. Maurice is passionate about improving employment outcomes in the Barwon region and brings this passion to the Taskforce when working on our shared objectives.

Maurice is an experienced Employment Services manager and brings a high level of knowledge on supporting jobseekers in the region. Maurice has links to major employers and community organisations in the region, including the Chamber of Commerce, Norlane Community Centre, Worksafe, Cotton On and the City of Greater Geelong. Maurice has been proactive in engaging with Workforce Australia Local Jobs in the Barwon region and was the lead provider on a successful Local Recovery Fund project in the region, the HOPES program with Calibre Workforce.

Maurice is passionate about supporting individuals to achieve sustainable employment outcomes and employers with their workforce requirements.

Simon has worked at the Surf Coast Shire Council for 20 years. He’s currently the Economic Development Coordinator; however, he undertook a secondment to the position of People and Culture Manager for 5 months during 2023 and held the position of Tourism and Major Events Coordinator for 9 years, before the commencement of his current role in 2014.

The Surf Coast is a growing area of the Barwon Region, with different challenges and opportunities to those of the City of Greater Geelong. Simon’s Economic Development perspective allows him to lead the Taskforce in developing activities relevant to the many smaller businesses on the Surf Coast.

As the Economic Development Coordinator, Simon is focused on strategy, business engagement, and sector development in the creative, entrepreneurial and emerging industries such as professional services and health. He has recently redefined the nature of economic success in a regional area, and is one of the first in Australia to do so.

He’s passionate about supporting the balance between growth in the economy or tourism visitation and the quality of life for a destination.

Simon is an enthusiastic problem solver and is always seeking a way to develop and improve any process. Simon is proactive in engaging with the business community in the Surf Coast and supporting local business with accessing opportunities for growth within the Surf Coast and beyond.

Simon was instrumental in the development of a ten-year contemporary economic strategy for the Surf Coast’s Economic Development Strategy 2021-2031, which also included a summary of the economic evolution of the Surf Coast since the 1960’s. Simon’s position on the Taskforce assists the Surf Coast Shire Council with the implementation of their strategic objectives.

Local Jobs Plan

The Employment Facilitator and Taskforce have developed a Barwon Region Local Jobs Plan, which outlines employment priorities and actions. It can be used by individuals, organisations and communities to understand the regions local labour market and help inform local initiatives that assist their community.

Local data and insights ensure the Local Jobs Plan reflects the skills and workforce needs of the region.

Local Jobs Plans are updated regularly and published below;

Barwon Local Jobs Plan

Priority areas

  1. Supporting local industry to engage the local labour market to meet changing industry need.
  2. Supporting the local economy to transition to a Net Zero economy, including apprenticeship pathways.
  3. Minimising challenges for cohorts to access education and sustainable employment.
  4. Boosting training and employment opportunities for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.