Can you access Jobs Assist funding for Your next CEED project?

Check out if you are eligible...

Jobs Assist Program - can your company benefit from funding?

Graham Willett of CEED Program Qld is listed on the State Government's Consultant database for Jobs Assist - Stage 2 (Implementation).

What does this mean for your business?  Eligible businesses can access up to $5,000 from the Jobs Assist program towards sponsoring a CEED project - to implement your business strategies and action plan (see rules for company and project eligibility below).

What is Jobs Assist?

Queensland's Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) has implemented the Jobs Assist program, which provides strong support for businesses that have been identified as requiring support services.

Jobs Assist will provide support to businesses that have been identified as financially vulnerable requiring support services.  Jobs Assist will provide support to vulnerable businesses with 10 or more full time employees (FTE) within the Priority Employment Areas identified by the Federal Government under the Keep Australia Working strategy or to businesses in other areas with 10 or more FTE's that are in key sectors considered to be critical or strategic to the State, region or industry or in a significant sectoral supply chain.

Support is provided in two stages (CEED is approved to assist you in Stage 2):

Stage 1

Jobs Assist provides up to $3,000 to assist companies to engage a consultant to conduct a complete business assessment of the Customer's business and develop an Action Plan to address all strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the business including addressing deficiencies in the working capital, and effectiveness of the business's reporting process.  The action Plan will also include strategies to support and improve the business (note: services are to be provided by a Consultant who is listed on the Govt's Consultant database).

Stage 2  (CEED is approved to supply 'Stage 2' services)

Jobs Assist provides up to $5,000 to guide and support your company to implement the activities identified as immediate priority tasks in your Action Plan.  These can include:

• funding for the engagement of a specialist selected from the consultant database to mentor  and support the Customer as they implement the priority tasks identified in the business action plan
  
  
• funding for all or a contribution to a State and/or Federal support program or provider training program costs that have been identified as an immediate priority task in your business action plan
  
  
• funding for other support services identified as immediate priority tasks in your action plan.  This can occur through the engagement of business experts who can design/develop strategies or processes required by your business and who can provide the support necessary during the implementation process for the task.  Business specialists who can provide these support services are chosen from the Departments’s consultant database.

Jobs Assist will not provide funds for any costs associated with items of a capital nature nor does it provide funds to cover the costs of the actual implementation process into the business. 

Eligibility 

For eligibility, your business must:

1. be one of the following: 
   
   -  be located within a Priority Employment Area under the Federal Government’s Keep Australia Working strategy.  Queensland areas include:  Ipswich-Logan*, Bundaberg-Hervey Bay*, Caboolture-Sunshine Coast*, Cairns, Southern Wide Bay-Burnett, Townsville-Thuringowa (* - CEED students available); or
   
   -  fall within key industries and be considered to be of critical or strategic importance to the State, region, industry, or in a significant sectoral supply chain.
   
   
2. be experiencing one of the following:
   
   a.    the variation in working capital is negative and has declined by more than 25% between the two points in time i.e. 30 June 2009 and the most recent reporting period, or
   
   b.        the business begins the two point period with negative working capital and remains in that position at the end of the two point period.
   
   
3. employ 10 or more FTE's
   
4. have an established operating base in Queensland
   
5. have an ABN number (registered in Qld) and be registered for GST. 

Outcomes for the Customer

Stage 1

A business assessment is undertaken by an experienced consultant to:

·         identify deficiencies in the working capital
·         identify issues impacting on the business
·         identify management reporting processes
·         develop an Action Plan to improve business performance. 

Stage 2

Proposed outcomes include:

·         improved working capital position
·         sustained business activity and existing employment levels maintained
·         improved business knowledge
·         improved business management skills and reporting processes
·         increased efficiency and productivity levels
·         improved business and employment outcomes
·         benefit through other identified support mechanisms.

 

How to Apply - what do you have to do?

For Stage 1:

1. Complete an application form and lodge with your DEEDI Regional Centre.
2. You will be advised about subsequent steps by DEEDI.

For Stage 2:

Where a business has conducted a business assessment and has a current action plan, they can apply to participate in Stage 2.

Before you register a project with CEED, please:

• contact a DEEDI Regional Centre (or CEED) and advise them of your interest to participate in Jobs Assist Stage 2 (you can indicate CEED will be your Consultant, if you like).  If you're not sure who/where the DEEDI offices are, CEED can help you find someone close by.
  
  

You will be guided through the subsequent steps by DEEDI, and once you've received approval and appointed CEED as your 'Consultant', CEED will guide you through the rest of the process to choose a suitable University student for completion of your implementation (CEED) project / priority tasks.  CEED will also guide and monitor the progress of your project to completion.

Contact Details

For further information about Jobs Assist including your eligibility, you can contact either:

• Your local Regional Centre of DEEDI (Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation) or the Business Hotline on 1300 363 711.  OR
  
• CEED Program Qld - we can help you to contact a DEEDI person in your area to get more information / or to get the 'ball rolling'. 
  P: 07 3841 5500 (Deidre) / W: http://www.corptech.com.au/ / E: ceed@corptech.com.au

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