Community & Business
13 February, 2026
Skilling Up Clifton
A Queensland Government initiative aimed at bringing people facing disadvantage into the workforce and giving them the skills to succeed has produced its second group of graduates from the Clifton Community Health Services.
At the CCHS Community Hub, at 2pm last Wednesday, the 4th of February, a group of fledgling aged care and hospitality workers huddled together off to the side, waiting for their graduation to begin.
To the dismay of those at the hospital who had put on quite a lovely spread, and cleared the room of chairs so to force everyone to mingle before the ceremony, this group of graduates only really had the time for each other.
They were smiling, laughing, and eyeing off the encroaching, daunting moment: they’d have to go up in front of everyone, shake the hand of Pat Weir MP, get their photos taken and have a moment in the limelight.
A moment which, for all of them, was well deserved.
But also a moment none of the participants in the Skilling Up Queenslanders for Work programs, were really there for.
It seemed that beyond the afternoon marking the achievement of graduating and stepping into the workforce, that they were really just there for each other - to see off colleagues, mentors and friends.
While some would be staying on at The Clifton Medical Centre, others would be leaving.
The Skilling Up Queenslanders for Work program is a State Government initiative aimed at giving disadvantaged Queenslanders a chance to get into work.
These could be young people transitioning out of residential care, Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, those living with a disability, elderly people, women re-entering the workforce. Veterans or those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
This group was made up of single mothers, sisters, young people, locals, and some who drove over 100 kilometres each day to make it to their traineeship.
Which is a part of the point.
Pat Weir, MP for Condamine, who was there to hand out the graduation certificates to the participants, spoke about how one of the aims of the program was building up the workforces of community centres like Clifton’s.
“You’ve got the big centre of Toowoomba and so its hard to attract them (workers) out into the regional areas,” he said.
Because while it's about upskilling those who might not otherwise get the chance, it’s also about bringing workers into parts of Queensland which struggle to find them.
“We try to employ local people where we can and the program is designed to introduce people into the workforce whom otherwise may not have had the chance,” Executive Director of Clifton Community Health Services (CCHS), Amelia Simpkins, said.
But what you could see from the presentation, was just how tight knit this group of graduates had become.
Mrs Simpkins reflected on the journey of the participants.
“Its been amazing, like Rommy for example who came to us having not worked in Aged Care, to see her progress and now be really confident in her position, lean into her learning and now see her as a valued member of the team was a real privilege to watch her grow and blossom.”
The other important impact this program hopes to have was the continuity of care for the residents.
That they know the people who are looking after them.
Sarah Browne’s sister sent her the application for the program.
Having initially wanted to get into childcare, Sarah is happy that she got into aged care.
“It’s something I can see myself doing... I wanna do my cert 3 in the future, stay in Clifton, I like Clifton,” she said.
Sarah said the support from the centre was amazing.
She also spoke about the care she puts into her work and the difference that it makes to the residents.
“I take care of them the way I’d want to be looked after.”
But again, what was clear in the hall, was that it was the connections.
“I’ve made a lot of good friends actually,” Sarah said.
Which is exactly the point of the program.
“If you can get them out here, get them trained up, they can discover what Clifton’s like and hopefully they stay,” Mr. Weir said.
