The National Skills Commission’s 2022 skills priority list revealed occupations with national shortages nearly doubled on the previous year, representing 31 per cent of all assessed occupations.

The ongoing effects of COVID-19, along with the changing economic landscape are cited as creating challenges in many sectors.

Despite the data, Australia has an untapped talent pool, with youth unemployment at 7.6 per cent in December 2022.

The Victorian Chamber, in partnership with YAY and Jobs Victoria, is helping improve youth employment outcomes through an innovative multicultural internship program.

YAY supports vulnerable and multicultural youth re-engage in their communities and find work and training programs.

The internship program provides 60 young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds an opportunity to kickstart their careers through paid internships.

Participating businesses engage a degree-qualified multicultural intern over a six to eight-week period. Employers will receive a $5,000 payment on completion of the internship to contribute towards the cost of taking on the intern.

The program helps unearth the next generation of talent while helping solve some of the skills shortages in Victoria.

YAY executive director Ahmed Hassan says partnering with the Victorian Chamber was a natural fit: “The Victorian Chamber has a very close working relationship with the community and YAY are lucky to be one of those community members,” he says.

“We thought about what’s innovative that we can work on to solve some of the issues around diverse young people that are not able to find jobs and the staff shortages that were happening at the time.

“We could really collaborate with the Victorian Chamber’s extensive business connections and ability to mentor and support, and our connections with grassroots communities.”

The key objective of the placement program, Mr Hassan says, is bridging the skills and labour gap by helping disadvantaged young people get their foot in the door through entry level positions.

“We offer them wraparound support which will ensure that the young person succeeds and thrives in the workplace,” he says.

“We work together making sure that we identify what industries they want to get into, develop their resumes, develop their professional understanding of what the workplace might look like, and then get them into the door.”

The key for employers is viewing employing youth as an exciting future opportunity, Mr Hassan says.

“I highly encourage employers to actually look at the next generation of young people because they’re going to be tomorrow’s leaders.

“When you’re looking at vulnerable candidates, don’t think that they’re vulnerable. They’re not. Look at their loyalty.

“By looking at vulnerable people as your biggest asset, when you empower them, they’re more likely to go above and beyond. So businesses should look at these people as an advantage, not as a disadvantage to your business.”

Demand for the early stages of the program is high, with roles being created in logistics, engineering, human resources, events and marketing, and more in the pipeline in architecture.

“This pilot program has grown so fast in such a short time. This internship is flourishing,” Mr Hassan says.

Places are still available for businesses interested in hiring an intern. Free cultural awareness and pre-internship preparatory training are provided.

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra says: “We are proud to be delivering this internship program in partnership with Jobs Victoria and Youth Activating Youth (YAY).

“I encourage all employers to consider taking part. This opportunity not only enables you to utilise the skills, ideas and talents of a degree-qualified intern, but it also provides a unique opportunity to give a career leg-up to young people, which could change their lives.”

The closing date for applications is 31 May 2023. More information and expressions of interest can be found on the Placement Program page.