GOLDFIELDS Local Learning and Employment Network is calling on young professionals to inspire the next generation of workers.<\/p>\n
The Young Industry Ambassador program involves people aged 18-30 from a wide range of jobs sharing their experience with high school students.<\/p>\n
Executive officer of GLLEN Dave Burton said the coronavirus pandemic has had a big effect on the number of ambassadors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe program has been delivered for over 10 years in the Bendigo, Mount Alexander and Goldfields regions and it was originally created to identify the need for young people who were disengaging from senior secondary school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s essentially a peer-to-peer engagement to try and strengthen the opportunities and understanding of the opportunities for young people in local schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the start of this year, largely due to COVID, we\u2019ve gone from having a decent number of young industry ambassadors down to just one in our region.<\/p>\n
\u201cCOVID has completely destroyed the membership because there was that disengagement that was just unavoidable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Burton said when he started in the role at the start of 2021, he saw an opportunity to redevelop the Young Industry Ambassador program, for young workers to share their experiences and success stories of finding employment during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are challenged as a local community even without COVID in ensuring that young people really understand that there is a reason to see an opportunity in training or employment after school, and a reason to stay in school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The ambassadors benefit from the program as well according to Mr Burton, with training in \u201cpresentation skills”, “public speaking” and “how to self-market\u201d available.<\/p>\n
Goldfields LLEN has identified key areas of growth in the region and is seeking ambassadors from industries including healthcare, retail, construction, childcare, and hospitality.<\/p>\n
\u201cA massive skill gap that the Department of Education is trying to get ahead of is the introduction of three-year-old kinder and the need for a significant number of early years educators,\u201d Mr Burton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cConstruction\u2019s one of the largest growths industries in our region, we are always looking for people in that.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously being the city of gastronomy, we\u2019re very much looking for Young Industry Ambassadors in food services and accommodation.\u201d<\/p>\n
With currently 1200 post-school aged people in the Loddon Campaspe region currently not training or working, Mr Burton said it\u2019s important Bendigo industries provide support to the next generation of workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn such a challenging time for them, they\u2019re still willing to support the future workforce and the education of young people in our region to ensure that they\u2019re being set up for future success,” he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
GOLDFIELDS Local Learning and Employment Network is calling on young professionals to inspire the next generation of workers. The Young Industry Ambassador program involves people aged 18-30 from a wide range of jobs sharing their experience with high school students. Executive officer of GLLEN Dave Burton said the coronavirus pandemic has had a big effect […]<\/p>\n