Wollongong youth get a helping hand from jobs workshop

Young unemployed people from Wollongong and the Illawarra in New South Wales will get a boost today when a youth jobs workshop aims to match participants with job opportunities in the area and provide advice on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of looking for work.

Around 50 young unemployed people – aged 16 to 21 – are expected to attend the three-day workshop organised by Mission Australia Employment Solutions.

The City of Wollongong’s new Lord Mayor, Councillor Gordon Bradbery, will be the keynote speaker on the first day of the workshop, giving his jobs vision for the region’s young people.

Mission Australia Employment Solutions’ Wollongong Manager, Lori Pullen, said the workshop was aimed at addressing Wollongong’s consistently high level of youth unemployment and giving young people a kickstart in the job race.

“For many years Wollongong has experienced youth unemployment at levels much higher than other parts of the country,” said Ms Pullen. “In recent times that’s because – despite Australia escaping the worst of the global economic downturn – young people historically bear a much greater burden during financial crises.

They have the least resources to fall back on and are the last to benefit when things pick up. “During a downturn it’s the casual, part-time and lower skilled jobs in the labour market – the type of work young people rely on – that are first to go and the last to return.

“So while overall Australia seems to be on the up and up – and job growth is returning – young unemployed people in Wollongong and the Illawarra are still getting back on their feet from the downturn that passed through the country in 2008.

“The problem is exacerbated by local issues, such as the region’s poor public transport system which makes it difficult for young people in outer-lying areas to access work opportunities, and a lack of ‘job-readiness’ among some of the young people themselves.

“Employers tell us that young job prospects often don’t have the ‘soft skills’ needed to enter the workforce, that is, the interpersonal and communication skills needed to participate in the adult world. That’s one of the things our workshop will address.

“Our three-day workshop is about saying to Wollongong’s young jobless: these are the areas where work is available, this is the sort of training and skills you’ll need and this is how we can help you.

“In addition we’ll have some really valuable speakers who’ll provide some great advice on the ups and downs of looking for a job. For example, we have a social media expert who’ll talk to the young people about how the things you add to your social networking site can impact on your job search.

“We’ll also have current Wollongong Hawks and former Boomer, Glen Saville, who’ll talk to the young people about overcoming adversity and staying focused on their goals. “It’s going to be a great three-day event and we’re really hopeful it will lead to some positive job outcomes,” said Ms Pullen.

Media contact

Paul Andrews
P: 02 9219 2080
M: 0409 665 495

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