Bridging the gap between school and work

Youth support workers are gathering in Lower Hutt this week for a symposium to tackle what is seen as a disconnect between schools and employers. The umbrella group Youth Employability Aotearoa is seeing young people fall through the cracks between leaving school, and finding their place in education or employment. Common issues for young people are a lack of confidence and feeling unprepared for the workforce, as well as decreasing literacy and numeracy rates. A report by the Ministry of Social Development also found 57 percent of surveyed employers were dissatisfied with the work-readiness of the school leavers. The Good Youth Employment Symposium will bring together the sector, working to bridge the gap, and help connect school leavers with employers. Kathryn speaks with Shirley Johnson, national coordinator of the umbrella group Youth Employability Aotearoa who is the organiser of the symposium, and Charlotte Bradley-Peni, who runs the Mayor's Taskforce for Jobs for the Westland District Council, which helps support young people into jobs.