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Pacific Brands has an ongoing commitment to providing a responsible working environment for all of our employees. We recognise it is important to ensure all employees have the best opportunities available to prepare them for the future.
Our learning and development programs help us build a high performance organisation capable of delivering Pacific Brands' strategy. A key focus has been on leadership development at all levels and on actively managing performance and talent across all divisions.
Training Advocacy and Support Program
During the year the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) in conjunction with Pacific Brands, developed, funded and commenced implementing an Australian-first retraining program for our displaced manufacturing workers.
The program is unique in that workers are being trained while still in their current jobs, and trained to work in new, more sustainable industries. Affected staff were given advance notice - up to 18 months in some cases - of their retrenchment dates to allow time to retrain for work that will provide jobs into the future. Pacific Brands is also giving workers paid leave to attend these training courses during normal work hours.
In addition to redundancy entitlements, the Training Advocacy and Support Program provides up to $3,000 worth of retraining for each affected worker over and above any government retraining funding that workers are eligible for.
The program involves funding provided by Pacific Brands, made available for retraining in areas likely to result in employment. Eligible employees have, to date, signed up for more than 420 different training courses spanning the hospitality, aged care, transport, IT and specialist retail sectors.
Some employees are also opting for multiple training courses, including significant sign-ups for literacy and computer skills programs. Many of Pacific Brands' workers have already found new jobs in new industries.
The program was also launched in New Zealand during the year, in co-operation with the National Distribution Union (NDU).
The Training Advocacy and Support Program rises to the challenge of retraining and re-skilling employees to help keep our workforce contemporary and globally relevant.
A retraining coordinator will remain available at each site to assist affected employees while needed.
In addition, Pacific Brands is providing external outplacement advice to affected workers, with specialists providing in-house seminars and assistance in the preparation of CV's, job search and interview skills, career guidance, financial planning and other related areas.
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