Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

More funds go the Youth Employment Initiative

The Premier, Mr Kennett has announced a further $2.4 million for the Victorian Government’s Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), creating an extra 1100 training positions.

The YEI is a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and business, providing young Victorians aged between 16 and 20 with access to a one-year full-time traineeship.

The program gives participants workplace experience, a high level of skills and a track record in employment.

About 1000 young people have taken part in the YEI since its inception two years ago. The additional $2.4 million will create an extra 1100 places, thus ensuring that the Government’s goal to train 2000 young people by the year 2000 is met.

"The Youth Employment Initiative gives young people the opportunity to develop work skills, the confidence to seek employment, and most important, real workplace experience: the very thing employers are looking for," Mr Kennett said.

Figures for late last year show that 90% of trainees who completed their course had gained ongoing employment.

The funding boost will form part of the 1999-2000 State Budget — to be presented on May 4 — and comprises $1.4 million in 1999-2000 and $1.0 million in 2000-2001.

YEI involves traineeships in areas including office administration, retail, manufacturing and Information Technology. Trainees take part in a nine-week work readiness program before embarking on their 12-month traineeship.

Trainees are employed through Group Training Companies and receive National Training Wage Award Rates.

This funding comes on top of the additional $94 million over four years for the creation of an extra 50,000 apprenticeships and traineeships announced recently.

(News Release, Office of the Premier, April 27, 1999)