Skills Boost Shoalhaven

Skills Boost Shoalhaven is a community-driven employment initiative developed by Interchange to support people with disabilities in regional New South Wales. The program connects individuals who are eager to work with local businesses that need reliable staff—bridging a gap that often goes unaddressed in rural areas like the Shoalhaven.

Through a supportive, three-step process, Skills Boost helps participants gain real-world job skills and workplace experience in a safe, structured, and encouraging environment. Businesses benefit from tailored support and guided introductions, while participants receive hands-on training, increased confidence, and a genuine path to employment.

Whether you're a business owner or someone looking for meaningful work, Skills Boost Shoalhaven is designed to empower, connect, and uplift—proving that inclusive employment creates lasting impact for everyone involved.

Watch the Skills Boost video and learn more..

You do count, you’re valuable people in our society and this is how you can show society what you can do.

Veronica Terrasson - NDIS Support Coordinator

Helping people with disability gain meaningful employment in hospitality, retail, and tourism.
A hands-on employment program supporting people with disability to build job skills and secure work in hospitality, tourism, and retail across the Shoalhaven.

Funded by the Department of Social Services and delivered by Interchange Shoalhaven, Skills Boost offers real-world training, mentoring, and job placement support.

What’s Included:

  • Workplace site visits

  • Practical hospitality training

  • On-the-job experience

  • Industry mentorship

  • Ongoing job opportunities

First intake: July 2025 | Nowra & Jervis Bay

Who is it for?

  • Job seekers with disability (NDIS/SLES or not)

  • Ages 16+

  • Keen interest in hospitality, retail or tourism

  • Local to the Shoalhaven region

Job Seekers

Fill out the form and let us know you’re interested

Hospitality Business or Club

Provider or School Career Adviser

Partner with us to connect students or clients to inclusive work pathways.
Contact us to collaborate

Let’s partner to support your clients or students into sustainable hospitality, retail or tourism employment. We’ll help match participants with the right opportunities and provide the support they need to thrive.

Based on the successful “Gaining Through Training” Shoalhaven Food Network model
Funded by the Department of Social Services Structural Adjustment Fund
Delivered by Interchange Shoalhaven

Fill out the form and let us know you’re interested

Tell us your experiences, challenges and the opportunities you see for a more inclusive workplace:

  Take our 3-minute Employer Survey

You can also meaningfully help Skillsboost by:

  • Host a visit

  • Offer a few “Taster Shifts

  • Mentor a Skills Booster

  • Offer ongoing employment

It’s super easy, we find the people, we talk to the businesses, we tee up all the connections and then we monitor it all the way through. So, the success is not difficult to obtain and very easy to get.

Erica Jones- CEO Interchange Shoalhaven