Survey finds region's youth keen to enter workforce

Gore builder Peter Goodger shows year 10 pupils from Gore High School some of the high-tech equipment used in the trade during a Southland Youth Futures employer talk earlier this year. Photos: Supplied

Young people in Southland are eager to enter the workforce as soon as possible, according to statistics from a Southland Youth Futures (SYF) survey.

Close to 84% of high school pupils surveyed said they ''already worked or wanted to work'' which SYF co-ordinator Allison Beckham said was very promising.

A total of 667 pupils were surveyed across 14 Southland secondary schools, with 246 (37.96%) saying they had a job and 298 (45.9%) saying they wanted work.

Anton Hoffman, a driver trainer with Tapanui-based transport company Road Transport Logistics, helps pupils navigate a big rig driving simulator as part of the Southland Youth Futures exhibit at this year’s CareerFest Southland event earlier this year.

It is the first time a survey of this size has been held in Southland since 2013.

Mrs Beckham said the figures went against the perception teenagers were unwilling to work.

''We were very encouraged by the figures, and the other thing that encourages me in particular is that some of the employers that I work with tend to think that 14 to 15-year-olds are a bit young to be dealing with. This survey I think validates that view that it's worth talking to teenagers ... they're still thinking of what they're going to do and they still want to work. We're really happy with that.''

Daniel Whyte (left) and Allan Walter, of Invercargill-based software development company Digital Stock, help year 10 pupils from Southland Girls’ High School experience virtual reality technology during a Southland Youth Futures employer talk earlier this year.

Other figures of note from the survey were the number of respondents who intended to get their learner's driver's licence in the next three years (80.56%), as this was often seen as a major skill required by employers in the region, Mrs Beckham said.

It also revealed farming and agriculture to be the most sought-after profession, followed by sporting and fitness and health related professions.

Government worker/politician, retail worker and social/community worker were the three least sought-after professions.

Katharine Holdsworth, a food process technologist at Fonterra’s Edendale dairy factory, shows year 10 pupils from Southland Girls’ High School some cheese quality control techniques during technology during a Southland Youth Futures employer talk earlier this year.

Mrs Beckham said she believed the survey was the first of its kind in New Zealand, and had received a large amount of interest from other regions at the Career Development conference in Wellington in October.

The figures obtained from the survey will be passed on to a range of employers in the region to help assist in recruiting potential employers, as well as being used to encourage hiring pupils after school or during the holidays.

They will also be used to coincide with the release of a work-ready passport by SYF in 2019.

The passport would enable pupils to fill in a variety of different skill sets about themselves as well as ''develop the knowledge and skills required by employers'', Mrs Beckham said.

This would then be passed on to potential employers with the goal of helping pupils of all abilities gain employment regardless of their qualifications.

So far six schools in the region planned to implement the passport when it was released in January, with more schools being targeted to join, Mrs Beckham said.

ben.waterworth@odt.co.nz

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