Cobb holds a jobs forum in Cobar
Wednesday April 1, 2009
John Carswell, Mark Workman, John Cobb, Luke Hartsuyker and Ernesto Sirolli at the jobs forum on Monday.
Federal Member for Calare, John Cobb, and Federal Shadow Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Luke Hartsuyker, were in Cobar on Monday to host a jobs forum at the Cobar Bowling and Golf Club.
Mr Cobb and Mr Hartsuyker met with a number of local individuals and groups to ask them what they thought the government could or should be doing to help them keep people employed.
Mr Cobb said during the first hour of the Cobar forum jobs for youth and apprenticeships were discussed.
“We discussed whether the emphasis should be on retaining jobs or creating new ones,” Mr Cobb said.
“It was agreed that apprentices were the most vulnerable members of the workforce.
“They are the ones at risk and it was discussed whether the government should be doing more for apprentices.”
Local businessman and Cobar Shire Councillor Gerard Francisco attended the forum and put forward a suggestion that the government should turn its focus to training.
“While the economy is down, now is the ideal time to get apprenticeships and traineeships up and running so that we can have qualified tradespeople ready for when the economy does comes good,” Mr Francisco said.
“I put to Mr Cobb that we go 50-50, with the government providing a 50 per cent subsidy to employers willing to take on apprentices or trainees.
“That will show us that the government is committed to creating jobs and will give employers a reason to train more staff.”
Mr Cobb and Mr Hartsuyker also spoke with John Carswell, Peter Lloyd and Mark Workman from the Cobar Enterprise Facilitation (CEF) group along with Ernesto Sirolli, who introduced the Enterprise Facilitation concept to Cobar.
They outlined CEF’s plan to create a diversified business base in Cobar which would lead to the creation of more jobs.
“Enterprise Facilitation is another way of doing economic development,” Mr Sirolli told Mr Cobb and Mr Hartsuyker.
“It’s not a top-down method; it’s about helping individuals one-on-one.”
“We want to listen to the people who are out there on the ground,” Mr Cobb said.
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