Auckland‘s Youth Employment Pledge initiative has achieved its target of signing up 50 employers in the first year.
The initiative is designed to help Auckland’s 23,000 young jobseekers. Seventeen more companies will sign up at a ceremony later on 13 April, bringing the total number of pledge partners to 51.
Some of Auckland’s largest employers on are board and between them, the pledge partners have committed to over 400 entry-level jobs and work experience opportunities.
Tackling our youth employment issue
The pledge signing event at The Warehouse Head Office Training Centre and hosted by Mayor Len Brown, means an even bigger commitment to tackling Auckland’s youth employment issue head-on.
“This is a significant milestone for our Youth Employment Plan and means employers are getting more and more of Auckland’s young talent into work and career pathways,” says Len Brown.
“That is the key objective but it also means that at the same time young people are being employed, we are easing the critical skill shortage in a number of sectors.”
Programme has helped 5000 youth
The Youth Employer Pledge is delivered by Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED) as part of the Auckland Council Youth Connections programme, and is generously supported by The Tindall Foundation.
“It's that passion that young people bring to your business that keeps your business alive,” says Fabian Yukich, Executive Director, Villa Maria.
Patrick McVeigh, ATEED's General Manager - Business, Innovation & Skills says, “What’s really pleasing for us is the concept of the employer pledge is something that ATEED has led from the outset and the team have done an outstanding job of engaging partners in the process.”
“We're absolutely stoked to sign up to the pledge," says John Later, National Talent Sourcing Manager, NZ Post. "We need people who can take us into the future.”
Since January 2015, the Youth Connections programme has helped, directly or indirectly, more than 5000 young people become work ready and has unlocked more than 2000 job vacancies, filling nearly half of them.
“We really are making good progress and the momentum continues to build,” says Len Brown. “We have an impressive list of Auckland’s biggest and best companies committed to a range of targets and activities and our young people are undoubtedly benefiting.”
JobFest next month
Another Auckland Council initiative in the push to ease the city’s youth employment issue is JobFest, a regular summit which links employers and potential employers.
The first of two JobFests this year will be held next month, at The Cloud on Wednesday 11 May. More than 70 employers will take part as will thousands of young people.
