CVGT Australia will today launch its 100 Jobs in 100 Days campaign, with the aim to reduce youth unemployment throughout the Bendigo region.
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CVGT Australia CEO Paul Green said the initiative aimed to create a partnership with employers in the region to commit to taking on additional apprentices and trainees.
“We want to ultimately play an important role by showing leadership, helping reduce the youth unemployment rate in the region,” Mr Green said.
“Professional services, manufacturing, local government and state government, they all have a role to play and they all cover off a number of different opportunities.
“In the modern age traineeships and apprenticeships can be molded or shaped to suit a particular workplace.”
Mr Green said one of the challenges was for employers to “take a leap of faith” and to “invest in the future” by giving young people a chance to build themselves a career.
“We all need to put our hands up and give kids an opportunity,” Mr Green said.
Mr Green highlighted the importance and benefits of traineeships and apprenticeships for young people in order for them to commence their life career.
“These are viable real life career opportunities, not everybody needs to go to university, there are plenty of very successful people that never went to university that started off in a trade,” he said.
“We need to raise the status of apprenticeships and traineeships, they should be seen as more than the second option available...yes it can be tough pay for the first few years but once you finish them, you can earn big money.”
“We want to keep kids in this community and the only way to do it is if we have employment for them, otherwise they’re going to leave the community and go elsewhere.”
Some of the businesses that have already committed to taking part in the campaign include City of Greater Bendigo, Bendigo Bank, Bendigo Health, Poyser Motor Group and other employers.
Confidence comes from experience
One of CVGT Australia’s trainees praised her experience at the company which has helped build her career.
Felicity Conroy is currently undergoing a traineeship at CVGT in the role of trainee executive assistant.
In regards to starting in the industry, Felicity was determined to succeed and completed an internship with the company before commencing her traineeship.
“I found out from a program through jobactive, they then referred me to a program that was happening at CVGT,” Miss Conroy said.
“Through the program a job opportunity came up and I applied for the trainee role.”
“I had an interview, got the job and it all went from there.”
Felicity highlighted the importance of having a mentor throughout her traineeship as it helped her work step-by-step through her role and grasp a full understanding of her position.
“The biggest thing for me was the confidence issue, the hands on support in the traineeship really helps,” Miss Conroy said.
“Traineeships are beneficial as they give the confidence and skills with constant mentorship from professionals in the field.”
As part of the traineeship Felicity is completing a Certificate IV in Business Administration.