Youth employment summit creates new pathways for young Aucklanders

More than 150 young Aucklanders attended a youth employment summit in Henderson today aimed at connecting them with potential employers and job opportunities.

Held at the popular Zeal youth space, today’s summit was the second in a series staged as part of Len Brown’s Mayoral Youth Employment Traction Plan launched in April.

The plan provides a new approach to addressing youth employment in practical, action-focused ways and brings together business, central government, young Aucklanders and other key stakeholders to develop solutions and pathways that will get more young people into work.

The first summit in April had a business focus and more than 100 employers attended. Several partnerships were formed and processes and opportunities for employment were identified.

“That event was an excellent start on our youth employment journey and since then the work is continuing to ensure Auckland employers see the benefits of taking on young people, particularly the innovation, diversity and energy they can bring,” said Mayor Len Brown.

“Today’s summit was an outstanding second step in decreasing Auckland’s frightening youth employment statistics. Over 23,000 young Aucklanders aged between 15 and 24 are not in employment, education or training.

“We must do everything we can to turn this around and if the calibre and enthusiasm of the impressive young people and the very willing employers here today is anything to go by, we will undoubtedly be able to achieve that.”

The summit programme, developed in collaboration with the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), provided practical tips on how to prepare CVs and do well in job interviews, what to expect upon entering the workforce, and how to progress entrepreneurial ideas.

Fletcher Building Ltd, Nice Blocks and Trade Me all gave empowering talks and attendees were quick to seek advice from Careers New Zealand, and register their interest in jobs at the stands set up by various employers.

Employers also joined the Mayor and YAP members in a panel discussion set out to bust the myths and misconceptions associated with employing young people.

Since the April youth employment summit, around 200 young Aucklanders have been employed through the council’s Youth Connections initiative, bringing the total number of Youth Connections employees to 700 since its inception two years ago.

A new hub established as part of the Mayoral Youth Employment Traction Plan coordinates youth employment initiatives across Auckland and has attracted the interest of many employers, particularly in the high demand sectors of construction and logistics, health, ICT and hospitality/retail. Government agencies have also joined.
Youth Connections champions Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, Henderson-Massey Local Board Chair Vanessa Neeson and other local board members attended today’s summit.

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