The Australian Government is committed to helping young Australians gain employment with $10 million dedicated to assist in connecting those looking for work to jobs.
The new PaTH Business Placement Partnerships program aims to connect young job seekers to employers with significant workforce needs in growing industries.
This program will trial government and industry co-designing employment pathways for young workers using elements of the Youth Jobs PaTH Program and other existing programs and training services.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash said working with industry to connect people with opportunities was imperative to help people to gain employment.
“Partnering with industry to get our youth into work is essential so that young people are not left behind during the recovery from COVID-19,” Minister Cash said.
“We know from past experience that young people wear a greater risk of unemployment when the labour market contracts and even as it recovers.
“Youth unemployment remains a critical issue for Australia’s economy, standing at 16.1 per cent in June 2020, more than twice the national unemployment rate of 7.1 per cent.
“By working closely with industry during the recovery, the Government is delivering on creating more employment pathways to real jobs for young people.”
“Through this trial program, the Australian Government will work with industry to co-design youth employment pathways, using elements of the Youth Jobs PaTH program and other existing Government-funded employment and training services.
PaTH Business Placement Partnerships will test the effectiveness of youth employment pathways designed by industry and facilitate access to jobs for young people in those industries.
A range of industry partners will be approached through a limited tender to establish a panel to respond to emerging opportunities and forward plan through the next two years.
The aim is to link with the Youth Jobs PaTH, which helps young people learn skills that employers need and gives them a chance to demonstrate those skills in the workplace.
Through Youth Jobs PaTH, businesses can also receive a wage subsidy of up to $10,000 for eligible participants to help settle them into the workplace.
At the end of June 2020, 98,472 young people had participated in at least one element of Youth Jobs PaTH with 60,980 obtaining a job placement.
The limited tender will be conducted in August 2020.
