Many local small to medium businesses, whether they are starting up or well established, are unclear on how they can build their business by securing a contract to supply their goods or services to large companies or government.
The process can seem daunting and it can be difficult to know where to start.
But now there is help at hand for such businesses.
The Australian and NSW governments, Australian Industry Group (AiGroup), Regional Development Australia (RDA) Sydney, Western Sydney Business Connection, Western Sydney Business Chamber and the Industry Capability Network (ICN) NSW have partnered to develop and produce a Western Sydney procurement toolkit.
The procurement toolkit provides a list of tender opportunities and tender requirements for a range of companies across Western Sydney.
This makes it easier for small business to access this information and pursue opportunities to expand through tendering.
Download your toolkit here.
♦ Something else that could also benefit local businesses is Youth Jobs PaTH.
This program helps employers find and recruit the right young person for their business.
Through Youth Jobs PaTH, a business can trial a young person in the workplace and could receive a wage subsidy of up to $10,000 if it hires this young person.
Youth Jobs PaTH helps prepare young people aged 15-24 with the right skills, so that they are ready for work.
For those who need it, Youth Jobs PaTH will provide Employability Skills Training to equip young people for work and help them understand the expectations of employers.
The training will be delivered by registered training organisations and will help ensure young people have vital skills such as presentation, communication and teamwork.
Businesses looking for staff can also work with an Australian Government employment services provider and a young person to design an unpaid internship placement of between four and 12 weeks.
The provider will support the company and the intern through the duration of the internship.
The internship is an opportunity to see how a young person fits into the business environment and if they are suitable for employment for that particular business.
Instead of receiving a wage from employers, the gGovernment will provide interns with an additional $200 a fortnight on top of their income support payment.
Employers will receive a payment of $1,000 to help cover the costs of hosting an intern and all interns are insured for the length of their internship.
The internship needs to be structured and supervised, providing the intern with 30-50 hours of work experience per fortnight.
Young participants must be aged 17-24 and have received employment services for six months or more.
The employment services provider can help employers access a youth bonus wage subsidy of either $6,500 or $10,000 if they hire an eligible young person aged 15-24 who has received employment services for six months or more.
There is no requirement for the young person to have undertaken an internship.
The job can be full time, part time or casual but must be an ongoing position and provide an average of at least 20 hours per week over the six-month wage subsidy agreement.
Employers who hire an eligible young person through an apprenticeship or traineeship may also be able to access wage subsidies along with other financial incentives available to employers under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
• For more information click here. For more information about Youth Jobs PaTH visit the job active website here.
