The councils of Central Highlands Councils Victoria (CHCV), an alliance of eight central Victorian municipal councils, will welcome 189 new fixed-term employees this year, with funding delivered by the Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria program.
Part of the Victorian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the $500 million Working for Victoria program aims to match unemployed people with employers who need staff to get through the pandemic and the recovery phase.
In two rounds, the Working for Victoria program has funded more than 3300 positions across 43 local government areas in Victoria.
Under Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria program, these CHCV councils have successfully secured funding for the following part- and full-time jobs: Ararat Rural City Council: 20 positions; Central Goldfields Shire Council: 39 positions; Golden Plains Shire Council: 20 positions; Hepburn Shire Council: 33 positions; Moorabool Shire Council: 51 positions; and Northern Grampians Shire Council: 26 positions. Pyrenees Shire Council is finalising its application for the third round of the Working for Victoria Program.
Chair of CHCV and Mayor of Golden Plains Shire, Owen Sharkey welcomed the Victorian Government’s multi-million investment in new staff to support the region’s recovery efforts.
“The Victorian Government’s Working for Victoria program not only supports unemployed people getting back to work and gaining new work experience, it also supports councils with additional employees for the recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
“In the Central Highlands region, residents will see Working for Victoria employees serving the community in a diverse range of six-month positions, including maintaining trails and waterways, assisting at relief centres, delivering Meals on Wheels and providing administration and professional support to recovery efforts.
“Our local councils look forward to welcoming these new employees, as we transition to reopening services and local facilities.
“The Central Highlands councils are committed to supporting our residents, ratepayers, farmers and businesses as our communities get back on their feet after the COVID-19 shutdown.
