The creation of 40 jobs near Balclutha is welcome news to those behind a training course equipping Clutha's young people for jobs.
Silver Fern Farms Finegand plant manager Phil Shuker yesterday announced plans to refurbish and reopen the company's former casing plant at the launch of the Ready, Steady, Work course in Balclutha. About 25 young people will take part in the five-week course, which begins next week.
The Ready, Steady, Work course is an initiative under the Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs programme, and involves a joint approach between the task force and some of Clutha's major employers to run a mentoring programme alongside employment.
At the programme launch yesterday, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan told participants it was designed to make sure ''each and every one of you'' had their desired job by the end of the year.
''We believe that you honestly deserve a job and we are going to get you one.''
The creation of 40 jobs at Finegand was a good boost for the programme, as it showed there were jobs out there.
''It means everything to us ... Silver Fern Farms has been supporting us right from the start.''
The first Ready, Steady, Work course was run last November, funded by the Ministry of Social Development, which also provided staff to help run it.
It was hailed a success and 24 out of 26 participants were offered jobs.
Mr Shuker encouraged this year's course participants to apply for jobs at Finegand in a range of departments.
Last year, 10 of the 24 youths in the programme found jobs at Finegand.
''It has been very successful ... hopefully we get as many as possible.''
The programme incorporated a fitness and healthy eating programme, mentoring, sessions with speakers and tours of local businesses.
It was based for a week at Telford, where young people stayed in the hostel and learnt agricultural skills.
More than a dozen Clutha employers took part, offering jobs in factories, forestry, agriculture and other sectors.
This year there were about 25 employers on board, offering a wider cross-section of industries, Work and Income New Zealand (Winz) relationship manager Lyn Keene said.
''We're really building on last year's course and offering more in-work support with mentors. That transition from not working and going into the workforce is really important.''
Sessions will be held every Tuesday and Thursday morning, beginning with fitness and team-building exercises, followed by breakfast. Each session will feature employers and guest speakers.
The final part of the five-week course will be based at Telford, and graduation will be at the rural polytechnic on December 5.
