EDA Journal Vol 15 No 1 | Page 22

reflects a great spirit of our region and is a testament to many local employers who volunteer their time every week to achieve the mission of the Jobs Commitment . So far , over 110 Bundaberg employers or industry representatives have pledged their commitment to the program .
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In October 2020 , all 9 ( state and nonstate ) local high schools signed a pledge committing their school to the Jobs Commitment and providing opportunity in school time for implementation .
Every year , about 1,100 students leave high school across our region . About 17 % of these are defined by the Department of Education as ‘ red-zone ’ - a term referring to a student identified as being disengaged and at risk of not being prepared for life after school .
We estimated that about 3,500 youth ( aged 15-24 ) in our region were disengaged at the last Census . Basic maths will indicate we ’ d need just 14,000 employer-led connections with this cohort to break a cycle of disengagement that in many households has lasted several generations .
It is through the schools where the Jobs Commitment can get to youth early enough to offer impactful employer-led exposures . The Jobs Commitment ensures that all schools , particularly those that need it the most , get adequate access to and connections with employers .
We are now entering the program ’ s second year , with Jobs Commitment having already offered over 3,000 additional connections between students and employers . These range from school talks by employers , work readiness workshops , and immerse days at schools by employers . In fact , there are 14 different ways employers can engage with youth .
Data released in 2021 from the Department of Education ( Next Step Post School Survey ) shows that perhaps , for the first time in many years , Bundaberg could be about to see a break in the perpetual trend of youth unemployment .
Statistics showed that over the last two years , participation by our youth in employment or study immediately after they leave school , has increased across all schools in the Bundaberg LGA .
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Figure 1 : Youth engagement in Bundaberg ( 2016-2021 )
Across our six state high schools , youth engagement in further education or work after leaving school has increased by between 2 % - 18 %. This is encouraging because it is the best predictor that youth are likely to continue with a lifetime that includes full-time employment , not unemployment .
Since 2016 when this data set was first collected , student engagement across the region had been on a general decrease . In 2020 it reached a staggering low of 71 %. That means 29 % ( almost one third ) of our young people were finishing school without employment or ongoing education .
In 2021 the overall figure jumped to 85 %. That ’ s now only 15 % of unengaged school leavers compared to 29 % in 2020 . If this trend continues it will be the best springboard to breaking the cycle of youth unemployment .
A JOBS COMMITMENT JOURNEY While the Jobs Commitment likely played a role in the new data , it ’ s probably not the single factor that drove the improvement .
Other great local initiatives are also occurring in the region . Through the partnering approach of the Jobs Commitment , programs such as Link and Launch are undoubtedly contributing towards the improvement .
Local business Best Practice Software has been involved with the Bundaberg Jobs Commitment since the program ’ s inception in early 2020 .
Brendon Croft , Head of People Experience with Best Practice Software believes the Jobs Commitment provides industry with
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a direct opportunity to engage with young people , being our future job seekers , about the employment opportunities local businesses can offer and in doing so , spark an interest in the technology sector and demystify entry pathways .
“ Best Practice chose to participate in the Bundaberg Jobs Commitment program for several reasons , likely the same as many other Bundaberg businesses ,” Brendon said .
“ We know we must begin engaging with young people early to assist them in gaining the skills and behaviours that will start to open some doors , providing them with opportunities that were not available before this program commenced ”
When it comes to looking for potential candidates , Brendon said he always looks for someone with great interpersonal skills , who is enthusiastic , self-driven and listens and follows through with feedback and actions .
“ It ’ s important to ask questions to seek understanding and for candidates to be willing to learn .”
“ Showing that they are eager for a role and have done some basic research to understand what the industry or interest area is about , is a great indicator that both the job seeker and employer will mutually have a lot to gain .”
Kirra Antrobus , a Bundaberg State High School 2021 graduate , attended a series of Jobs Commitment Resume Building Workshops while in her last few weeks of school where she met Brendon .
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