A program to help public housing tenants get jobs has given more than 1,100 Victorians a leg up into employment.

Minister for Housing Richard Wynne today announced the milestone as he opened stage one of the $20 million-plus Stokes Penola housing estate in Preston, spread across two sites with 68 public housing units.

The new Preston estate features sustainability and design features including water harvesting and solar energy, with homes that are modern, secure and seven-star energy-efficient.

The Andrews Labor Government’s Public Tenant Employment Program (PTEP) has given hundreds of public housing tenants a pathway into work in construction, security, gardening, cleaning and office administration.

When commercial builder SJ Higgins was contracted to build the new public housing estate in Preston, the PTEP made it possible for tenants of public housing in Melbourne’s west to get work with the construction team on site.

Tenants signed on as labourers at the Stokes Penola site and then went on to be retained as labourers by SJ Higgins, with ongoing jobs.

Jobs are just one part of the Program – it has also funded accredited training for more than 2,000 public housing tenants in areas of skills shortage including labouring, office administration and cleaning.

The Labor Government is building 1,000 additional public housing properties over the next three years, developing around 6,000 social housing dwellings through the Homes for Victorians program and funding thousands of new social housing properties through the $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing Richard Wynne

“Helping people find work empowers them to make their lives better – this program has given so many people a chance to show what they are capable of when they might have struggled to get that break otherwise.”

“Our public housing projects and redevelopments improve housing to get for thousands of Victorians and provide valuable opportunities to get work experience that can change a life.”

Quote attributable to Member for Northcote Kat Theophanous

“These fantastic new homes will offer much-needed public housing for local families, with modern sustainability features that make them better for the environment and easy to heat and cool.”