Border businesses will be offered incentives to hire young people as part of a job drive facilitated by federal government funding.
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Five job providers, supported by the Border’s chambers of commerce, will deliver the federal government’s Youth Jobs PaTH program throughout September.
Job seekers aged between 15 and 24 who have been on Centrelink payments for six months or more are eligible.
Employers will receive $1000 upfront to trial a young person in an unpaid internship for four to 12 weeks, and the intern will receive an extra $200 fortnightly on top of their payments.
Some businesses will receive up to $10,000 if they hire eligible young people.
Personnel Group case manager John Watson said last year’s target for 100 young people employed was hit and the same ambition was set out for this year.
“We want a minimum of 100 jobs and 20 internships,” he said.
“If we don’t get youth into jobs they then fall behind.
“Once someone gets that first job, it gives them something on their resumes and leads to other things.”
Department of Jobs and Small Business figures show for the 2018 March quarter, the unemployment rate in Wodonga was 4 per cent, and in Albury 10.6 per cent.
Wodonga Mayor Anna Speedie said reducing unemployment rates was a joint goal of the Border cities.
“Wodonga’s results are substantially lower than Albury’s, but it’s looking at the regional perspective … if we all work together we can get a better result,” she said.
“Things are changing rapidly and we’re seeing blends of blue and white collar jobs – my daughter is 15 and we don’t know what type of job she’ll have in the future.
“Providing connectors to jobs is really important … job agencies can help our young people do that.”
Albury Mayor Kevin Mack said employment providers were “open for business”.
“A lot of young people aren’t getting properly matched with jobs,” he said.
“Getting young people into work is critical, not only for their future, but also for the wider community to grow our economy.”
The Personnel Group, MADEC, CVGT, Sureway and Eworks have come on board for the second year, after receiving good feedback about the PaTH program with some employers taking on young people permanently as early as three weeks into the trial.
Employers interested in the jobs drive should contact one of the participating providers.
