Secondary school teachers and careers advisors spent a day recently hearing about learning-on-the-job opportunities in the Ashburton District.

The big day out was organised by the Mayors Taskforce For Jobs (MTFJ) local Ashburton coordinator, who has helped place 54 young people into jobs in the past eight months.

MTFJ is a nationwide initiative, supported by mayors up and down the country. The Ashburton District co-ordinator is Sharon Watson, who works for Council.

Mayor Neil Brown said the programme was funded by Government and tried to match employers with young people and their families.

“Some of these young people have left school but are not in any sort of training, and some just need an employer to give them a chance. We have the resources to help get these relationships off the ground and we’re always looking to get more employers on board because we can help them find the right person to fit their team.”

He said 10 teachers, principals and advisors from Ashburton College, Mt Hutt College and the Ashburton Christian School were invited to be part of a big day out recently and they visited five local businesses to hear real stories about people learning on the job.

“The businesses all showed different aspects of employment, from ongoing study to innovation, and showed the variety of opportunities available for employment and ongoing learning.”

The day also involved hearing from four guest speakers.

“Many businesses work hard to bring young people on board and ensure they are learning both industry skills and skills of being in employment.

“The Mayors taskforce can help by providing support, interview coaching, upskilling or even getting a driver’s licence so young people put their best foot forward.”

The Mayor and Minister for Youth James Meager caught up recently with two young people successfully placed into long-term jobs through the taskforce.

Neala has been part of Council’s finance team for more than a year and is studying for her Chartered Accountant’s certificate, and Jaykob has almost completed his automotive glass apprenticeship at Wilson Windscreens.

Want to know more about the MTFJ? Visit our webpage