Mayor launches taskforce for youth jobs

Having 1000 people aged 15 to 24 on a benefit in Rotorua is “wasted human capital”, says Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick who today launched her Rotorua mayor’s taskforce for jobs.

A taskforce workshop kicks off at Rotorua Lakes Council from 1pm facilitated by Dave Turner, an international expert on employer engagement in education and training across OECD countries.

“We’ve worked out the Rotorua way and this workshop will link employers and young people.

“It will mean employers understanding the importance of exposing young people to their workplaces but also allowing young people to see there are diverse careers,” said Mrs Chadwick.

“What we are concerned about is last count in March we had 1000 young people between 15 and 24 on a benefit. That is wasted human capital and it doesn’t matter if they’re in training, or getting some skills or moving on a career pathway, we need to convert them into active learning or doing and that’s what the mayor’s taskforce is all about for us.

“We call that (situation) a burning platform. It’s not good for the future of those children, it’s not good for the emerging needs of the spa, health and wellness industry here in Rotorua and for the added value wood industry which are the two economic drivers here.

“We should be opening those opportunities up for these young people.”

Mayors all around the country are working together to have young people see things differently about their future and have some optimism.

“We need to know, do Careers Expos work, what can we do differently,” said Mrs Chadwick, who is a member of The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs national governance group, called the Core Group.

The workshop starts at 1pm in Rotorua Lakes Council’s committee room 1.

ENDS

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