Skilling Australia Foundation

Skilling Australia Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization, founded in April 2013, dedicated to assisting young people in acquiring training and employment. Its main area of focus is unemployed youth as well as assisting people of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander heritage, people with disabilities and people at risk of homelessness. The foundation was established to provide a range of education and support services. The foundation received strong support , including a community grant from Coca-Cola Australia Foundation.

Overview

Nicholas Wyman, CEO of the Foundation, stated that Australia's overall unemployment number hidden an army of unemployed and disengaged young people. According to ABS Labour Force Survey, youth unemployment in the 15 to 19 cohort is currently 27.17% nationwide as of December 2013. In recent years, the Foundation raised the challenges around schools to work on transition for many disadvantaged young Australians.

Partnerships

In September 2013, the foundation received a grant from RE Ross Trust for their Towards the Early Warning System program.

In November 2013, Citibank Australia has entered a partnership to help disadvantaged unemployed young Australians get their careers going via a four-week pre-employment program named "The New Recruits Program". The partnership between Skilling Australia Foundation and Citibank is focused on giving young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds the training and confidence they need to secure apprenticeships or traineeships in the hospitality and services industries. The new program focused on the hospitality industry, as well as on business administration in the services sector. In its first year, The New Recruits Program involved 120 participants.

See also

• Youth unemployment
• Apprenticeship