Partners: gforce Employment + Recruitment, GROW, Built, Development Victoria, Gordon Institute of TAFE
Geelong’s Early Engagement Social Procurement Program is a unique and tailored approach to addressing employment barriers for disadvantaged jobseekers. Launched in 2024, the program models a life-changing approach to vocational education, by embedding inclusive employment pathways within major infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre.
Co-designed by the Gordon Institute of TAFE, gforce Employment + Recruitment, GROW, Built, and Development Victoria, the program supports participants through a Certificate II in Construction Pathways, enabling them to develop foundational construction skills.
Directly targeting First Nations people, migrants, women, and ex-offenders, the program addresses key employment barriers with a variety of wraparound supports, including trauma-informed teaching, foundational literacy and mentoring.
This collaborative program is reshaping lives into positive futures. It demonstrates the impact that industry, education, and employment services can have when they work together to achieve long-term economic and social equity outcomes.