The state government and Electrolux have a funding arrangement where employees can receive training from TAFE, OCTEC and other service providers at no cost to the employee.

Member for Orange Andrew Gee said he wrote to the head office of TT Logistics, which services Electrolux, to provide the same offer to its workers.

Mr Gee said he received no formal response to his letter, but was pleased to announce about half of the 35 employees at TT Logistics had been able to take on training free of charge.

“We’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the retraining program ... we need to make sure everyone at least gets to have a first go of it,” he said.

Mr Gee said employees could put their hands up to study multiple courses paid for by the government. 

He said 420 one-on-one interviews had been completed, with 46 of those employees choosing to retire when the plant shuts down. 

There were 544 employees at the factory when the announcement was made that it would close. Of those, 406 workers at the factory have formally requested training and in September there were 274 workers enrolled in courses or training. 

Mr Gee hopes the remaining 132 will be enrolled in some form of training by the end of the year or early in the new year.

“The courses conducted have included dual diplomas and courses in aged care, hospitality, front-line management, project management, earth works, transport, retail and others. Training is also occurring in the factory, which makes it easily accessible to employees,” he said.

Mr Gee said employees from an Orange security company had also participated in NSW Government-subsidised courses.

NSW Government payroll tax rebates for businesses re-hiring workers made redundant at Electrolux will also cover contractors.