In partnership with NSW Department of Industry and CoAct Employment, local human services agency CHESS Connect has been supporting young people into sustainable employment.

Over the past year CHESS Connect have placed 84 young people into employment, who have then successfully reached their 26 week outcome. This means that they are finding work and they are keeping it.

The Smart Skilled and Hired Youth Employment program is delivered across the Mid North Coast and other areas of NSW. The program helps young people by connecting them to training, mentoring, work experience placements, and other supports to build their skills and experience.

The positive outcomes coming out of the program are life changing for young people and their families. The results clearly show what can be achieved with support, encouragement and guidance of professional employment consultants. Young people have ample knowledge and ability to succeed in today’s business environment. With the right direction, mentorship coaching and support they can be an asset to business, both small and large.

Acknowledgement for the success of the Smart, Skilled and Hired program should also be paid to the businesses in our region who continue to employ young people. Many local employers are taking advantage of the energy and fresh perspective young job seekers bring to business. The recent announcement of the Australian Government’s $525.3 million Skills Package Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow means that businesses will also benefit from incentive payments for hiring apprentices and strengthened training and skill building supports for young people and school leavers.

Positive news in the continuing campaign to reduce youth unemployment and under-employment in our region.

Smart, Skilled and Hired Youth Employment Program is a targeted initiative that aims to lift youth long term employment prospects. It is a voluntary program for young people aged 15-24. Young people aged 15-24 years are among those who experience higher than average levels of workforce disengagement such as underemployed or not in the labour force.

To find out more about the Smart, Skilled & Hired Youth Employment Program visit: www.chessconnect.org.au/smart-skilled-hired/

Statistics on Youth Employment in NSW

• 84,900 young people are experiencing unemployment in NSW – Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017

• Youth unemployment rate is twice that of the general population in NSW – Guardian 2017

• More than 659,000 young Australians are unemployed or underemployed, that’s 31.5% of the youth population in Australia – Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018