One of the most common reasons that employers shy away from hiring young people is their lack of experience.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But many of Maitland’s unemployed youth simply need to be given the chance to learn how to fit into the workforce.
So it’s important that the work of firms such as Youth Express and Solid Engineering don’t go unnoticed.
Kurri Kurri firm Solid Engineering has taken a front foot approach to the problem by taking on more than 20 vocational education and high school students for work experience in the past two years.
Youth Express has helped the company reduce the administration costs of helping the students, allowing Solid Engineering to give the young people vital experience and training that will, no doubt, benefit their future job prospects.
Given the economic climate in the Hunter, this is important for our community.
The Lower Hunter outside Newcastle has one of the highest unemployment rates for 15- to 24-year-olds in the state at more than 15 per cent.
It also has had one of the highest overall unemployment rates in NSW for the past several months, with the jobless rate hovering around the 10 per cent mark since the beginning of this year.
The Mercury also encourages young people interested in pursuing a career in the media to contact the
High Street office and ask about doing work experience.
On-the-job experience is often the best way to learn new skills, but it is also a good way for young people to discover whether their expectations of a job meet the reality.
Any Maitland businesses that can give a local young person a leg-up on their way to employment should do so.
It’s a worthwhile endeavour that will benefit the community in the long run.