A PLAN to create 100 jobs in 100 days for south-west young people reached its target with 19 days to spare.
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The project between South West TAFE, Westvic Staffing Solutions and Brophy Family & Youth Services has even exceeded expectations with 108 jobs being created so far.
On Monday, the 100th person employed under the scheme started work as an apprentice plumber in Camperdown.
Beau James, 21, said that after a year at university studying to be a physical education teacher he had decided uni life was not for him. He set his sights on getting a trade and has secured an apprenticeship with Keith Baker.
Westvic chief executive officer Dean Luciani said the jobs target was reached mid-last week, and with about 13 days left to go the hunt for more jobs would continue.
“It’s not 100 days yet. How far can we go? Can we get 120 jobs, 125?” Mr Luciani said.
The success of the program has ensured the campaign would not be a one-off. “We intend to run another campaign next year, bigger and better, hopefully with even more outcomes,” Mr Luciani said. “It’s about making a dent in the youth unemployment rate in the region and trying to keep our youth local, and trying to give them a genuine start in a career path.”
The new jobs include more than 30 different types of apprenticeships and traineeships in the trade, finance and business sector.
“In some cases, people go on to make long-term careers out of them. In others cases, they’ll take those skills on to a university degree. We think that they’re all great outcomes regardless of what their futures bring.”
The 108 people who have scored a job are aged between 17 and their mid-20s.
“We don’t consider our job done yet. This is just the beginning,” Mr Luciani said.
“Getting the jobs is step one. Every one of these jobs is created with a mentoring regime that sits behind it.
“We think there’s a whole new phase that will start after the 100 days and that’s to look at people who might have missed out on the opportunities we’ve created over the last 100 days.
“We’ve got just as much commitment to the people who have had one or two interviews and might have missed out, than any of the others.
“It’s a fantastic thing for the community. Business has got behind it.”
