The pilot program – or jobs drive – is a joint initiative of the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) and APM (Advanced Personnel Management).
"Despite Tasmania's unemployment rate being one of the highest in Australia at 7.2 per cent, hospitality businesses across the state have struggled to find both highly skilled and semi-skilled staff," said the General Manager of the THA, Steve Old.
"The THA is pleased to partner with APM to conduct an employment pilot and we look forward to this formal collaboration between the two organisations resulting in tangible outcomes for Tasmanian hospitality businesses."
"Number one" employing industry
APM's Group Chief Executive Officer, Michael Hobday said: "Hospitality is the third-largest employing industry in Tasmania and APM will be working with the THA to try to make it number one.
"As Australia's largest non-government provider of disability employment services and with our significant presence across Tasmania, APM is well placed to work alongside hospitality businesses to deliver employment solutions for them."
The pilot will see the THA's Hobart offices upgraded to become a Hospitality and Tourism Industry Training Centre of Excellence, with an APM staff member to be stationed there specifically to help hospitality businesses to identify and place job seekers into work.
"In addition, the APM team will provide comprehensive post-placement support," Hobday said.
"The pilot is an example of key stakeholders working together to lift the level of employment participation."
APM will coordinate with all providers in Tasmania to source job seekers.
Old said: "Tasmanian hospitality businesses who wish to access services provided as part of the pilot will be able to call a special hotline."
Tasmanian premier Will Hodgman said it was "concerning" to hear some hospitality sector businesses were having difficulties filling vacant positions.
"With the government's support, the THA and employment provider Advanced Personnel Management will conduct a pilot project to match job seekers with jobs in the hospitality industry," he said.
The pilot is being supported by the Tasmanian Government, Nepean Industry Edge Training (NIET) and TasTAFE.
The pilot is about to commence and will run for the next three years.
