WorkFoundations

About the program

In the 2024-25 Federal Budget, the Government announced a new Paid Employment Pathways Package, in partnership with employers across Australia, that will focus on job seekers with barriers to work who are seeking to connect to job opportunities and achieve sustained employment.

WorkFoundations, one of the initiatives in the Paid Employment Pathways package, will invest $10 million to assist job seekers with complex barriers to employment to build their work readiness, with funding for social enterprises and businesses to deliver paid employment placements of up to 6 months with tailored, wrap around services.

The new program will fund projects that:

• assist job seekers with complex vocational and/or non-vocational barriers to build their work readiness in a nurturing work environment, and
• provide tailored wrap around services to address their barriers to employment; gaining real life experience in jobs that suit their skills, interests and needs; and earning real wages.

Eligibility

The program is available to participants who are:

• registered with Workforce Australia Services, Transition to Work or Parent Pathways,
• face at least one barrier to employment that they are willing to address with support, and
• are willing to accept ongoing work after the placement ends.

Additionally, for those participants registered with Workforce Australia Services, they must have been unemployed for 12 months or more and/or have no recent work experience.

Funding

WorkFoundations is funded as part of the Paid Employment Pathways Package through a competitive grants process.

Grant agreements for this program were finalised in July 2025.

WorkFoundations Businesses

New South Wales

Queensland

Victoria

South Australia

Western Australia

Tasmania

Northern Territory

Australian Capital Territoty