Regional SA councils are invited to apply for funding through the newly established Regional Youth Traineeship Program and help get young people into the workforce.
The State Government has dedicated $2m to the scheme, which is aimed at young people between the ages of 17-24 years old. The scheme is part of the State Government’s $10m Jobs Accelerator Fund.
Councils can apply for one of the 57 regional youth local Government traineeships to receive $14,500 per trainee, each year, for traineeships lasting up to two years.
Traineeships will be available across a wide skill set, including areas such as admin services, parks and gardens management, mechanical services and many others.
“The program will give young people in the regions the opportunity to enter the workforce full-time, work in their areas of interest for two years and come out job-ready with a whole new range of new skills,” said Youth Minister Zoe Bettison.
Councils will be required to provide trainees with a work plan and training overseen by a Registered Training Authority (RTO). They will also be encouraged to employ trainees following completion of the traineeship.
IPWEA SA President Andrew Craig welcomed the news, adding that the scheme would address the skills shortages in public works.
“[The scheme] is good for asset management and to help youth get their feet in the door for work,” he said, adding that it’s just as important to help young people into work as it is established players.
Eligible parties include SA Regional Council, Aboriginal Community Councils, APY and Maralinga Tjarutja and the Outback Communities Authority. Only Councils based in non-metropolitan Adelaide would be eligible to apply for funding under the Regional Youth Traineeship program.
The deadline for councils to apply for the funding is Friday 28 August.