Bartenders and baristas get straight to work

A job partnership between the government and the Lion Nathan School of Business that will see Work and Income clients trained for work in the hospitality industry, was launched today by Social Development and Employment Minister Steve Maharey.

The partnership – called Straight to Work – will see an initial 50 people move off the Unemployment Benefit and into work as trained baristas and bartenders. It is the latest in a series of job partnerships which have seen nearly 500 people move off benefits and into work.

Steve Maharey said the Straight to Work Partnership would help lower the unemployment register while simultaneously addressing skill shortages in the hospitality industry.

"Unemployment is at an historic low, but businesses are still calling out for more workers," Steve Maharey said. "Job Partnerships like this one provide the opportunity to drive unemployment even lower while addressing skilled labour shortages.

"Work and Income will partner with Lion Nathan to identify job seekers that can benefit from training. The job seekers will then be provided with the training and help they need to get a lasting job in the hospitality industry."

The partnership with Lion Nathan is the tenth in the government’s Jobs Jolt package, joining the hospitality, meat, retail, transport, plumbing, track maintenance, road and bus industries and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in partnering with Work and Income to provide unemployed people with entry level skills training.

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