A program providing unemployed young people with the tools to get a job is being expanded in Dubbo.
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The federal government’s Youth Jobs PaTH (Prepare, Trial, Hire) initiative already operates in the region, and has helped about 25 young people into work across the Hunter, Central West and New England regions.
But it’s had a slow take up in Orana and the Far West, prompting the Department of Employment, Joblink Plus and the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce to arrange an information session at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club on Tuesday, September 26.
Joblink Plus operations program manager Craig McLeod said businesses had nothing to lose.
“I’d be saying ‘give it a go’. It’s risk-free. There’s a lot of benefits and there’s very few drawbacks,” he said.
“It actually costs nothing to participate and you not only might find somebody suitable for your business, but you’re helping the young people in your community and giving them a chance to show what they have to offer.”
Youth Jobs PaTH works with unemployed youth to make them job-ready through career development training. It then offers a $1000 incentive to businesses to provide work trials, while the young people involved receive additional money from Centrelink during the trial.
Businesses that go onto hire young people through the program can receive a federal government youth bonus wage subsidy of up to $10,000.
Mr McLeod said the program aimed to bring down a youth unemployment rate that was up to three times the general unemployment rate. An estimated 30 per cent of the long-term unemployed are aged between 18 and 24.
“Young people aren’t being given the opportunity to gain experience and they’re not competitive in a labour market where there’s an average of 14 applicants per job,” Mr McLeod said.
“For young people it’s an opportunity to gain current skills and experience … it allows them to show what they’re capable of and be employed on their merits, rather than on [their resume].
“To date we’ve seen some very good results … it’s a voluntary program and there’s no risk to employers or the young people … so if it’s not working then it’s okay.
“But what we’ve seen is that a lot of young people have gone onto employment with the host business and those that haven’t have gone on to employment with another, like business.”
The Youth Jobs PaTH forum, including a presentation by the Department of Employment’s Tim Gore, will take place from 6.30pm on Tuesday, September 26 at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club.