Recently, United Services Union (USU) Riverina Organiser Damien Welsh attended the official announcement of Round 4 of the Fresh Start Program in Broken Hill. The event was attended by Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan, Member for Barwon Roy Butler, and Mayor of Broken Hill Tom Kennedy.
During the announcement, Minister Hoenig confirmed that a further 400 new apprenticeship, traineeship and cadetship positions will be made available under Round 4 of the Fresh Start Program. In addition, 174 positions remain available from Round 3, bringing the total number of opportunities created through the program to almost 1,800 since its introduction in 2024.
The Fresh Start Program continues to play a significant role in addressing skills shortages across local government in New South Wales. By providing funding and support for councils to employ apprentices, trainees, and cadets, the program helps to build a skilled and sustainable workforce capable of meeting the growing demands of communities across the state.
Broken Hill City Council is among the many regional councils already benefiting from the program. Since joining the initiative, the council has welcomed 16 Fresh Start recruits, with 10 of those participants aged under 25, 3 already securing fulltime work and 9 still undertaking there training programs. The council has also indicated that it intends to recruit at least four additional apprentices, trainees or cadets through the next round of funding.
The program provides local councils with a valuable opportunity to invest in their future workforce by training people in the specific skills required within their organisation and local area. This approach not only helps councils develop long-term workforce capacity but potentially reduces their reliance on external contractors and outsourced services.
Importantly, the Fresh Start Program creates meaningful career pathways for young people and job seekers within local communities. Participants gain valuable workplace experience, nationally recognised qualifications, and the opportunity to establish rewarding careers in local government. These opportunities help strengthen local economies while ensuring councils can continue to deliver essential services to their communities.
The benefits of the program are particularly significant in rural and regional areas, where attracting and retaining skilled staff has been a long-standing challenge for many councils. Workforce shortages have often impacted councils’ ability to recruit employees across a broad range of occupations, from outdoor workforce and trades positions to administration, planning, engineering and professional roles.
The expansion of the Fresh Start Program will enable councils to continue growing and developing their workforce with locally based employees who have strong connections to their communities. In many cases, these recruits are generational residents who understand the unique needs and challenges of their local area and are committed to contributing to its future success.
The USU welcomes the continued investment in apprenticeships, traineeships and cadetships and recognises the positive impact the Fresh Start Program is having on local government workforces across New South Wales. The Fresh Start program not only helps address immediate skills shortages but also ensures councils have a pipeline of skilled workers to support local communities for years to come.
