Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service is a Disability Employment Service funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to assist people with disability gain and maintain employment. Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service has been providing high quality recruitment services to employers and people with disability since July 1992. We look forward to helping you with your recruitment needs.
Email: ites [dot] admin [at] lccq [dot] org [dot] au
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IPSWICH |
TOOWOOMBA 3 Finchley Street TOOWOOMBA Phone (07) 4688 3900 Fax (07) 4688 3911 PO Box 1715 TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350 |
Mission Statement
To support people with disabilities gain and maintain employment that is valued by the client, employer and the community.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service is a non-profit organisation and offers a wide range of services to both employers and job seekers. ITES works with both clients and employers to:
The services that Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service provide are free to both the client and the employer as the service is fully funded by the Australian Government.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service has offices based in Ipswich and Toowoomba with additional outreach services available in Boonah, Gatton, Lowood, Laidley and Esk.
If you think Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service may be able to help you please contact us to discuss your needs and what support we may be able to provide to you.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service have a dedicated team of staff to provide the highest quality service required to meet the needs of individuals and employers. All staff receive training in order to ensure they have the skills and knowledge required to meet the individual needs of Job Seekers and Employers.
Some training that staff have include mental health first aid, Senior First Aid, Caring and Crisis Management for people with disability and a minimum Certificate IV qualification relevant to the industry. Prior to employment being confirmed, all staff undertake a criminal history check and must be eligible for a Blue Card from the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service meets the National Disability Standards accreditation. Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service provides employment services, training and support to ensure the Service achieves:
The quality management system of ITES ensures that the service is proactive in identifying changes in program requirements, client needs, rights and responsibilities and industry and labour market trends. Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service’s quality management system ensures that Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations key performance indicators and the Disability Service Standards are adhered to.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service is committed to a philosophy of continuous improvement in all its service provision. The responsibility of delivering quality services to our clients is held by all staff and management of ITES.
The quality management system ensures the reputation of ITES as a preferred provider of employment services within the Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service Areas. ITES is continually working towards exceeding client’s expectations.
Our Newsletter, “On the Grapevine” is produced each quarter. It contains information about the current activities of Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service.
| Toowoomba | Ipswich |
| March - ON THE GRAPEVINE | March - ON THE GRAPEVINE |
You have the right to complain and raise any issues that you feel need to be addressed about any aspect of the service you receive from Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service. We are a community based organisation and are governed by National Disability Service Standards.
If you feel you would like to make a complaint about the service please follow the process outlined below.
We also welcome suggestions on how you think our service can improve or comments on what things you think we are doing well. If you have any suggestions please feel free to talk to one of our team members. We appreciate all feedback we receive.
How we can help you
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service can help you to look for work in the field that you are interested in and work with you and your employer to make sure that you sustain your position. Having someone there to talk to and help you to learn your job really can make all the difference. Ways in which we do this may include;
We can help you to find a job that matches your abilities and needs. Some of the great outcomes that Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service and their clients have been able to achieve include positions in the following fields:
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service provides support and assistance to people with disability. As we are a generalist provider we are able to provide services to people with any type of disability.
We also provide assistance to school leavers and people who are in jeopardy of losing their job due to their disability.
You may be eligible for our service if you:
You may need to be referred to a Job Capacity Assessor in order to determine your eligibility for the service; we are able to assist you with this process.
There are many benefits of working. Some of these include;
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service can offer our clients a range of pre-employment training including;
This training can be provided in a group setting during our monthly job club to allow interaction with other job seekers, or individually with your Employment Consultant for more intensive assistance.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service offers a designated area that includes access to the internet specifically for client job search. It is available for use at any time and staff are able to teach you how to search on the internet for jobs and how to apply for positions as well.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service will help you look for work in your areas of interest and once placed in employment we will be there to help. Your Employment Consultant will be able to help you learn about your new workplace. We will help teach you all aspects of your job to make sure that you are comfortable with your role and understand what is required of you. With an Employment Consultant by your side, settling into your new position will be a breeze.
When you have learnt all there is to learn about your new job, your Employment Consultant will provide you with regular ongoing assistance to make sure that everything is travelling along well at work and moving you closer to independence in the workforce. If you have any problems at work they will be there to listen to your concerns and help you through any problems no matter how big or small they may be. This support will help you cope with any work-related stress and enjoy your working life.
The Supported Wage System is a process that allows employees to be paid a percentage of the award wage. If you feel that you may not be able to work as fast as other workers you may be eligible for the Supported Wage System. An independent assessor will visit you at your workplace and will assess your productivity against a co-worker that does the same job as you. This will ensure that you are paid fairly. This is reviewed every 12 months to allow for any increases to your productivity, ensuring you are paid correctly and fairly.
The Workplace Modification Scheme is established to pay for the costs involved in modifying the workplace or purchasing special or adaptive equipment for eligible employees with a disability. This can help to enable you to complete all duties required by your employer, or even help you to do your job more effectively or efficiently. Some of the items that may be approved through the Scheme include:
To find out more information about the Workplace Modification scheme visit the Job Access website at www.jobaccess.gov.au
If you are from a non-English speaking background and require an interpreter to assist you to talk with your Employment Consultant, employer or co-workers, your Employment Consultant can organise this for you to ensure that you are receiving the service and support that is right for your needs.
Auslan Interpreting Service
Assistance is available to you if you have a hearing impairment. Your employer may be eligible for financial assistance to help with the cost of Auslan interpreting service or training staff members who work with you to assist them with communication and understanding your disability.
“You guys make us feel like family, you run a very personalised business” – Milly
“ITES helped me successfully complete my Certificate II in Retail and are now assisting me complete Cert III in Retail Supervision. Once I finish it I will be able to move up in the workplace to the position of supervisor.” - Danny
Our Service
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service has worked with over 770 employers in the local area to create employment opportunities for people with a diverse range of skills and abilities. A high percentage of our job placements are due to repeat business from existing employers demonstrating that our Service can make a difference with your future recruitment needs.
There is no cost to the employer to use any of the services available through Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service as we are funded by the Australian Government to provide these services for you. There is no special, specific or extra responsibility legally to an employer when employing a person with disability.
Our Employment Consultants will take the time to understand your job vacancy needs and visit your workplace to gain a full understanding of what you require to ensure that our client has the relevant training, skills and knowledge to meet your needs. We can provide you with ongoing advice and support in the workplace for as long as required.
To find out how you can save time and money with your recruitment process, talk to one of our Employment Consultants.
Some of the benefits of employing a person with disability have been confirmed in both Australian and International studies. According to a study conducted by Graham, Shinkfield, & Polzin on Employer benefits and costs of employing people with disability:
People with disability can have fewer accidents at work—the workers compensation costs for people with disability can be as low as four per cent of the workers compensation costs of other employeesA study conducted on behalf of Telstra Australia also found that:
The principles of employment are the same for people with disability as those without disability. The main focus should be on whether the individual has the skills and aptitude to do the job.
When employing people with disability, organisations can benefit by:
Research has found that there is a strong business case, as well as an ethical case, to support the employment of people with disability.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service can offer a wage subsidy to the employer to assist with the cost of training new employees. The employment must be ongoing after the wage subsidy period has expired and you must be able to provide us with verification of the clients’ wages for this time frame. This incentive is available for most clients who are registered with Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service.
Please contact one of our Employment Consultants for additional information and eligibility for wage subsidies.
Most people with a disability work at productivity levels equivalent to their co-workers and receive a full award wage. If an employee with a disability, who due to the effects of their disability is not able to work at the same productivity levels as their co-workers, then the Supported Wage System may be implemented.
This system allows an independent assessor to come to the worksite and assess the clients work productivity against their co-workers. This is a fair assessment to determine the rate of pay that the worker will receive. The rate is worked out as a percentage of the award wage. Both the client and the employer have to agree to utilise the Supported Wage System. Once implemented, a reassessment of the client’s productivity is completed every twelve months to ensure that any changes of productivity that the client has had, is recognised and their rate of pay can be adjusted accordingly.
For more information you can visit Job Access at www.jobaccess.gov.au or call one of our Employment Consultants who can discuss eligibility and support you with the application process.
The Workplace Modifications Scheme is available to make accommodating employees with a disability in your workplace easier, if deemed necessary. The Workplace Modifications Scheme pays for the costs involved in modifying the workplace or purchasing special or adaptive equipment for eligible employees with a disability. It is also available for existing employees if they have had a change in duties, career progression, change in disability and/or a new modification becomes available that would increase their productivity. There is no restriction to the types of modifications that can be approved under the scheme, as long as each application meets the eligibility criteria.
Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service can advise you of the employees eligibility to access the Workplace Modifications Scheme. Modifications previously purchased through the Workplace Modifications Scheme have included:
Disability specialist IT softwareFor more information you can visit Job Access at www.jobaccess.gov.au or call one of our Employment Consultants who can discuss the application process with you.
“Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service have always been responsive to our needs. Whenever I am short staffed or need an emergency replacement, I know that I can rely on their service to come through. They also stay in touch to make sure that everything is working out for their client and our business. I have had great successes with their clients. Thanks team!”
- Leesa Humphreys, Bayton Property Services Pty Ltd
“Ipswich and Toowoomba Employment Service have been providing us with staff and support for the past 4 years. They provide frequent visits to the staff members we take on which provides great comfort and support to these workers. We also know that they will be available any time further assistance is required with staff. We are very happy with the service they have provided thus far and look forward to continuing a productive relationship with them.”
– Kev and Sharon Goodsir, Queens Park Cafe