The Bundaberg Jobs Commitment Charter signing . Mayor Jack Dempsey with all secondary school principals in 2020
THE BUNDABERG JOBS COMMITMENT
COULD WE BE AT A TURNING POINT WITH YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT ?
Amber Lutter and Ben Artup , Bundaberg Regional Council
The Bundaberg / Wide Bay Burnett region has had one of the nation ’ s highest youth unemployment rates for more than 20 years .
The issue of youth unemployment is complex ; caused by a range of social and economic factors which has left a concerning amount of our region ’ s young people disengaged from education , work , and future opportunity . Youth unemployment is a symptom of disengagement .
There is no silver bullet or one-sizefits-all solution to youth unemployment , but research proves that industry-led engagement is the most effective way to engage and support young people to make decisions to pursue a life of employment or further education . If youth encounter four or more positive exposures to industry while they are still in school , the more they will earn and the lower their chances of becoming NEET ( no longer in employment , education , or training ) as young adults ( Mann , 2017 ).
Acknowledging this research , and in partnership with local employers and high schools , in 2020 Council designed the Bundaberg Jobs Commitment . This initiative involves a compact between local employers , high schools , and the Council to break the cycle of youth disengagement that manifests itself later as youth and mature aged unemployment .
When Council started the Jobs Commitment , we were occasionally questioned about why it was trying to address youth unemployment . The reality is that government don ’ t , as a core service , usually fund programs like the Jobs
Commitment . It was often cited that it ’ s someone else ’ s problem , like the federal or state government , schools , parents , justice , or the police .
However , local industry told us that it ’ s our responsibility . ‘ Our ’, meaning our community ’ s responsibility . One of the most impressive elements of the Job Commitment has been the willingness and passion of local employers to support our youth . There is a growing understanding and ownership of the challenge of youth unemployment and it is considered a community and business issue .
Our community , particularly our employers , have chosen not to abdicate the responsibility of youth unemployment to another level of government , or schools , or parents ( who may also be struggling ), justice , or the police . This ownership
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 15 NO 1 2022 21