IDENTIFYING work placement opportunities and seeking mentors emerged as key aspects of a Youth Network of Tasmania youth employment forum held yesterday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Three-hundred youth representatives from across the state gathered at Launceston's Door of Hope to table their ideas on increasing employment opportunities and work readiness for young people.
Initiatives included establishing websites to host available work experience opportunities, council-facilitated programs and inter-school resource sharing.
YNOT chief executive Jo Siejka said the event boasted a range of attendees with various schooling and youth group backgrounds.
"There's been months of planning, we held this off until the election," Ms Siejka said.
"That's made it a more timely and more important issue to discuss."
She said answers from a youth employment survey, also hosted online, would be distributed to businesses and industry groups.
"We talk about employment, but sometimes we talk about young people without including them when they're half the conversation," Ms Siejka said.
"We think about work readiness but sometimes we forget to ask them about what they want from their employers."
Sheffield student Hamish McLean, 16, said the forum shone a light on Tasmania's jobs climate.
"We have to take advantage of all the opportunities available to us at our age and through our school," Hamish said.
"If you've got the building blocks now, you can start to set up a pathway for the future."
DAILY
Your morning news
Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update.
