Job seekers who receive income support for more than 12 months through a federal government scheme, such as Newstart, Youth Allowance, or Parenting Payment, may be subject to mutual obligation requirements.
Mutual obligation requirements are normally specified in the job seeker’s job plan and aim to encourage the job seeker to remain active and engaged while looking for work.
Depending on the specifics of the plan, which is negotiated with a jobactive provider, job seekers may have to fulfill commitments from a range of activities, such as participating in Work for the Dole, applying for an agreed number of jobs (usually 20) per month, or undertaking training.
Until recently the range of training options that was approved for meeting mutual obligation requirements was limited to accredited training, i.e. nationally recognised certificate level courses.
As of May 6, 2019 the range of training that may be approved under mutual obligation requirements has been expanded. For the first time pre-accredited training – delivered by an Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) provider – may also count toward a job seeker’s annual activity commitment.
Pre-accredited training courses differ from accredited training in that they are usually of shorter duration and offer participants greater flexibility. They may focus on personal growth activities, explore job-related options, and prepare job seekers for work through improving employability skills, or they may deliver specific employment-related skills training.
For example, Advance’s pre-accredited courses include Computers Made Easy, Microsoft Office Tools, and Kickstart Your Career.
The nature of pre-accredited courses means that they are designed to be used as a stepping-stone, either directly into a job, or onto further study.
The changes to eligible training under mutual obligation mean that job seekers now have more choice in the training they can undertake to enhance their job readiness and support their employment goals. Job seekers who may prefer to devote some time to exploring their strengths, interests and opportunities may be able to do so legitimately as part of their job activity requirements. Others who may wish to test out a new career direction may be able to undertake a short course in a specific skill area.
Job seekers who wish to take up the expanded mutual obligation training options will have to discuss their particular circumstances with their jobactive provider. This is to ensure that the requirements of their annual activity commitments are met and that the proposed pre-accredited training aligns to their overall job plan.
Job seekers who want further information about Advance’s pre-accredited courses can phone 03 5986 4623 or check the website for Foundation Skills, Computer Courses and Hospitality Courses.
