Youth Careers Event Receives Council Funding Boost

Friday, 5 September 2025, 4:48 pm
Article: Kira Carrington - Local Democracy Reporter

A conference for young Marlborough job seekers has been given a $14,000 lifeline from council, after the foundation behind the event folded. 

Councillors voted on Thursday to reaffirm and increase its funding commitment to the region’s Future of Work Conference. 

The conference was established in 2019 by council and the Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough, to connect Marlborough’s young people with future tertiary and employment prospects around the region.

The conference aimed to help fill significant labour shortages in various industries, and retain secondary school graduates. 

According to the Marlborough Youth Council, many graduates choose to leave the region after school due to perceived “limited local opportunities”. 

The conference had proved a major success, starting with 140 Year 12s and 13s in its first year, to around 2000 Marlborough students and more than 70 businesses attending in 2024. 

But with the Graeme Dingle Foundation ceasing operations in the region in May, the future of the conference was in doubt. 

Council’s community partnerships advisor Jodie Griffiths and events and community partnerships manager Samantha Young told council that the community wanted the event to continue. 

“On the day of the [2025] conference, both myself and Jodie ... had a number of people coming up [saying] how much they want this conference to continue,” Young said. 

Griffiths said the 2025 conference took place in June, and was a roaring success. It featured inspiring speakers and the interactive stations were energised, she said. 

“Businesses and industries felt they were really speaking to those younger ones that are really starting to think about, where is my career going to be?” 

“We had a meeting discussion with Port Marlborough ... and they have already recruited from Future of Work [Conference].” 

The council had previously given the event a yearly $10,000 grant. But with the closure of Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough, Griffith said council should consider transferring the foundation’s $14,000 operating grant directly to the conference to help with its ballooning costs. 

“[The $10,000] has been a real help. However, the conference has grown, and the cost of putting the conferences on has increased and that has led to a dependence on external funding,” Griffith said.

“Which is quite a lot of work, and those funders have narrowing priorities and criteria to meet.”

Attendance figures for the 2025 event were not yet available. 

Griffiths said that the council would partner directly with the colleges to put on the event and pursue a new venue at Stadium 2000, where the colleges could secure a discounted hire rate. 

“[We have] the support from the colleges that they are very willing to work with council on this and not let it disappear,” Griffiths said. 

“With the colleges partnering, I think it perhaps introduces new appetite for some businesses, because a lot of businesses see the real connection with the young people that are involved.” 

Mayor Nadine Taylor said she supported transferring the $14,000 grant to the conference, and the decision was passed unanimously. 

“I agree with everything that's been said. It's an excellent initiative,” she said. 

Councillor David Croad also supported the decision. 

“It's a great use of those funds, and if we push the button on this today, [it] enables them to get on with the planning for this event.” 

Marlborough Girls’ College principal Mary-Jeanne Lynch said the council’s support was “fantastic” news. 

“It's an excellent event that supports our whole community,” Lynch said.

“I'm really delighted that the council is supporting a continuation of the future of the conference.

“We've got a fantastic careers team and I know that they have worked really closely with the Graeme Dingle Foundation to develop the focus of the Future of Work Conference in the past. 

“I'm sure that they'll be working with the council and with other careers teams from the other colleges ... to continue to have the conference in the future.” 

Lynch said the conference opened up work opportunities for students that they otherwise would not be able to obtain. 

“It's really important for local businesses and organisations to see the calibre of the students in our schools,” she said. 

“We've got amazing young people in our schools and quite often businesses and organisations don't necessarily see that the way that we do.” 

-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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