SKYCITY named ‘Auckland Youth Employer of the Year’

Photo caption: Sir Stephen Tindall (The Tindall Foundation), Amanda Tolley (SKYCITY), Mayor Len Brown and Patrick McVeigh (ATEED)

SKYCITY – one of Auckland’s largest employers – has been named ‘Auckland Youth Employer of the Year’ at the 2016 ‘Young at Heart’ Awards held at the Langham Hotel last night.

The Young At Heart Awards, which are in their second year, recognise the commitment of businesses that have signed up to Auckland’s Youth Employer Pledge, and are actively employing and developing career pathways for 15-24 year old Aucklanders.

SKYCITY was recognised for its commitment to helping the region’s young people into jobs and training.

“It’s an honour to receive this award,” says Amanda Tolley, Group Manager, Talent Acquisition and Development at SKYCITY Entertainment Group Limited.

“Almost a third of our 3,000 employees are young people and we strongly believe that the youth of today, are our talent of tomorrow.

“It’s important to nurture young people not just by employing them, but by giving them access to education, training programmes and mentoring for the industry,” she says.

The Youth Employer Pledge programme is delivered by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) as part of Auckland Council’s Youth Connections programme, and is designed to help Auckland’s 23,000 young jobseekers who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Fifty seven businesses representing a diverse range of sectors have signed up as Youth Employer pledge partners. A number of these businesses joined SKYCITY in receiving awards in a range of categories, including:

• Industry Leadership Award and School Engagement and Work Experience Award – Auckland Airport

• Innovative Youth Employer Award – Rainbows End

• Local Youth Employer Award –Rainbows End and The Warehouse (1st equal)

• Maori and Pacifica Diversity Award - KPMG

• Youth Employment Programme Award – Downer

• Youth Induction and Development Award - Xero and KPMG (1st equal)

• Youth In-Work Mentoring Award - Fletcher Building

• Judges’ Choice Award – Pride & Joy

Sir Stephen Tindall, Founder of The Tindall Foundation and one of the main supporters of the Youth Employer Pledge, presented SKYCITY with its ‘Auckland Youth Employer of the Year’ award.

Mayor Len Brown commended SKYCITY alongside all Young at Heart Award winners and Youth Employer Pledge partners.

“We are making good progress in tackling Auckland’s unemployed youth rate with the number of unemployed young people almost halving in the first six years of a united Auckland.

“While the growth in our economy and other market factors are contributing, youth employment initiatives such as the pledge are having an impact on addressing the issue,” he says.

The figures, based on analysis of NEET rates and the Household Labour Force Survey, show youth unemployment rates have almost halved, from 21.1 percent to 12.4 percent since late 2010 when the Super City was established.

Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development’s (ATEED) General Manager Business Innovation & Skills, Patrick McVeigh, praises the efforts of Youth Employer Pledge partners.

“Auckland businesses are preparing for growth and many are experiencing a skills shortage. ATEED’s role is to help employers create career pathways to employment and get young people work ready so they can move into these high growth sectors,” he says.

An example of a recent initiative to get young people into growth sectors is the #BuildAKL campaign, launched by ATEED in partnership with pledge partners at JobFest last month with the aim of getting 4,000 young people into the thriving construction and infrastructure sector.

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