While Employment Plus and APM have been collaborating informally, the fresh agreement will see the organisations work closer together than ever before to provide a comprehensive suite of services to both job seekers and employers, with the aim of getting more people into work, sooner.
Employment Plus is one of Australia's largest and longest serving providers of the Federal Government's Employment Services, placing well over a half a million job seekers into work over the last 15 years.
In the past 20 years, APM has assisted more than 610,000 people and every year, APM assists more than 60,000 people to progress to employment.
"This collaboration adds significant value to both Employment Plus and APM's services, by providing top quality, targeted 'work hardening' services for job seekers," said Employment Plus Managing Director, Greg Moult.
"Put simply, this partnership will allow us to get even more people into ongoing, sustainable work, more quickly," he said.
The partnership is also part of Employment Plus' new service delivery model as outlined in its tender submission for the Government's Employment Services Contract (2015-2020), providing employers with coordinated access to all job seekers in an Employment Region.
Within any given Employment Region, job seekers will benefit through the combined efforts of each organisation to ensure they're a ready and valued prospect for employers.
They could have access to over 450 sites with a combination of co-located sites, streamlined referral processes and comprehensive wrap-around services.
"Combined with our expertise in delivering pre-employment programs, training, screening and selection processes, APM's comprehensive 'wrap-around' services means that employers and job seekers can receive the best possible service," Mr Moult said.
"We're delighted to formalise this partnership," said APM's Group CEO, Michael Hobday.
"The partnership will ensure that both Employment Plus and APM are better placed than ever before to consistently deliver positive outcomes for employers and job seekers."
Both partners believe that the collaboration will help to maximise employment participation in Australia through increased efficiencies and communication.
"The partnership will improve the performance of each party as an employment services provider and lift the level of employment participation in Australia," Mr Hobday said.
The announcement took place at a timber manufacturing business in outer suburban Melbourne where Employment Plus has successfully placed job seekers into work.