Businesses needed for new youth employment initiative

Eurobodalla Council’s successful youth employment training scheme will be expanded to businesses shire-wide under a new initiative aiming to tackle youth unemployment.

Branded as ‘Y-Train’, the program will help Eurobodalla businesses employ young people as trainees or apprentices and support them through the process.

Council’s employment and training project coordinator Rhonnie South said there were already great financial incentives for local businesses to employ young apprentices and trainees, and Y-Train further sweetened the deal.

“We’re taking the successful model of Council’s trainee and apprentice program and opening it up to other businesses wanting to take on someone under the age 21 as an apprentice or trainee,” she said.

“We will support businesses through the whole process, from recruitment to organising registered training and preparing staff for supervising a young employee.

“It will also include an extensive shire-wide recruitment campaign to ensure each business attracts the best possible candidates.”

Businesses can employ trainees and apprentices in just about any field under the program, from construction and health and community services to retail, hospitality and tourism. The typical working structure is that trainees/apprentices spend about 70 per cent of work time on-the-job and 30 per cent studying.

Ms South said there were many benefits to employing young people – from bringing diversity, fresh ideas and new knowledge to the workplace to being able to skill them up to suit the business.

“The trainee will be bringing the latest accredited training - including new technologies and breakthroughs in thinking - into your business,” she said.

“You’ll also be helping to keep our local young people in our shire and helping them gain valuable skills for the future.

“Anyone out there who has been thinking about employing a young person in their business should give us a call.”

Businesses have until the end of July to sign up for this free support program. It is expected employment applications will open in early September. For more information phone Council’s employment and training project coordinator Rhonnie South on 4474 1296 or email [email protected]