Young people as the solution

Businesses’ skill requirements are within reach of young people if given the opportunity. Nagambie businesses seem to be restricting young people from participating in the local labour market. The entry-level jobs are not there and clear, articulated career pathways are not evident to local young people.

Few businesses stated they required VCE completion for jobs. The important skills were around communication, ability to work in a team, selfmotivation and commitment to learn and work. The requirement for VCE, TAFE and tertiary qualifications is job specific such as professional services, chefs, health and aged care, and wine production. In sales, administration, community and personnel services, machinery and drivers and other positions, businesses provide skills and knowledge on the job.

Local businesses report their skill development is around in-house training and mentoring on the job for employees. Less than 50% of businesses were prepared to support traineeships, apprenticeships or school-based apprenticeship, and even less were prepared to support young people going to TAFE courses while employed in the business.

If businesses continue with current employment practices, skills shortages will remain and economic opportunity lost. The Go Nagambie business survey and interviews supports a regional effort to link young people with business as the jobs are un-skilled to semi-skilled entry level. Businesses are prepared to provide on the job training and mentoring to enable the employee to successfully work. However, many businesses do not have the human resource personnel to undertake larger scale activities such as linking with schools and TAFE organisations, providing work experience, traineeships or apprenticeships or be competitive with wages and conditions in Melbourne.

Feedback is that schools and TAFE do not reach out to local businesses. The secondary schools being away from Nagambie means employers to not have the time nor financial capacity to regularly link with schools or TAFE institutions.

The key stakeholders and influences in driving greater young people employment are the larger diverse employers, RIYAP, schools and TAFE organisations, parents and the local Shire Councils along with Go Nagambie. (See Figure 6.2). The many opportunities as articulated by the key case studies is in innovative, jobs for life and hotspots of experience (Appendix B).

Long term solutions to key structural issues in the local labour market centre around young people. Some key strategies to consider are:

• Communicating the diversity local labour market within the region to young people, schools and parents;

• Local business collaborating with RIYAP and schools to ensure young people are job ready when leaving school and understand their career pathways within the region;

• Addressing the skills requirements through local businesses tapping into Government initiatives (ie fee free TAFE courses for staff and micro-credentials);

• Articulating career pathways within the region to ensure local people are not lost to the region due to wages and conditions, relocating for better career opportunities as the pathways to manager, skilled, professional jobs are here;

6.2: Key influences on young people

Shire Councils State and Federal Government

Young People

Go Nagambie Businesses

Parent Carers

Rural Inspire Program

Schools, TAFE, training providers