The City of Ryde, New South Wales, will investigate opportunities to do more to assist young members of the community find more employment opportunities.
The City of Ryde currently undertakes an intern program to support young workers including partnering with University of Technology Sydney for newly qualified engineers, and has resolved to investigate opportunities to expand its current intern program to assist local graduates and apprentices gain work experience.
Ryde Young Citizen of the Year, Rhett Prado, addressed councillors about the struggle that young people in Ryde face in finding employment.
“Youth unemployment and under-employment, is an alarming issue facing the community of Ryde.
“With housing prices pushing up the cost of living, Ryde’s younger citizens are finding it harder to make ends meet.
“Expanding internships within the City of Ryde provides the Ryde youth an opportunity to gain valuable experience in the hope that it will increase their employment prospects and give them a kick-start into their future careers.
“These internships are not only valuable to the young people receiving them. It also gives Ryde Council many new bright and keen young workers who are willing to learn and grow in their positions.”
City of Ryde Mayor, Jerome Laxale, said more needed to be done at all levels of government to assist young people in finding employment opportunities.
“Expanding the Council’s intern program is just one initiative and I will be working with councillors and staff over the next year to try and identify ways in which we can address youth unemployment in the City of Ryde.”
