Project Sydney: Premier’s $65m jobs bonanza for Western Sydney youth

BOOSTING entry level jobs, stronger careers advice for students and a $65 million ­injection into skills training are key parts of a state government push to cut the Western Sydney youth jobless rate.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is helping youth find work. Picture: Justin Lloyd

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BOOSTING entry level jobs, stronger careers advice for students and a $65 million ­injection into skills training are key parts of a state government push to cut the Western Sydney youth jobless rate.

The jobs package will be announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian tonight at The Daily Telegraph’s Project Sydney dinner at Bankstown, where she will reveal the government will raise its “generalist” graduate intake from 120 to 200.

The Premier will also ­announce a high-level taskforce to focus on pathways from school and vocational education to work, including improving career advice in high schools.

With jobs a key focus of Project Sydney this year, Ms Berejiklian will cap off a successful Daily Telegraph campaign, which has led to record commitments by the state government to health and education infrastructure the city badly needs.

Underscoring the central push of the campaign, to improve access to jobs for young Sydneysiders whatever their background, she will say that “like a lot of people in Bankstown, I know what it’s like to grow up in a non-English speaking household, in a ­migrant community”.

“I know what it’s like to have parents who make decisions and sacrifices because they want to give you the choices in life that they didn’t have,” she will say.

“I know what it’s like to go to public schools and rely on public services.

“I’ve been so fortunate with the opportunities that Sydney has given me — and I want everyone in this city to be able to have those same chances in life.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she knows what it is like to go to public schools and rely on public services. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The inaugural Project Sydney Go West mentorship program will be launched at the event tonight, which will also be attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and state Opposition Leader Luke Foley.

Under the scheme, 45 promising students from Western Sydney University and TAFE will learn from business, industry and community leaders.

The Premier’s jobs package also includes $10 million to help the homeless and vulnerable into work, with incentives for small business to hire them.

And Ms Berejiklian will emphasise that the 334 cranes dominating the Sydney skyline today — a greater number than any city in the world ­except Dubai — are a sign of true job creation.

Underground there are 48 roadheader tunnelling machines involved in building the M4 East, NorthConnex and the new M5.

From next year, five giant boring machines will also start tunnelling under Sydney Harbour — to build the Sydney Metro.

“As Premier, my vision for the future of Sydney is clear and simple,” Ms Berejiklian will say.

“It’s about building a city where aspiration and hard work allow each individual and each family to have the best quality of life possible.

“There’s a lot of work still to do — but we’re building on extremely strong foundations.

“We’re the nation’s jobs capital, with almost 110,000 new roles created over the past two years.

“I applaud the Project Sydney campaign’s focus on jobs and mentorship tonight.”

Under a $65 million youth employment initiative, people aged 15-24 will be trained and  assisted into work at four unemployment hot spots — Western Sydney, the Hunter/Central Coast, New England/Northwest and the north coast.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the program would give young people life skills, accommodation and transport and training.

The Youth Employment Program will be supported by local employers and organisations to connect young ­people with training, support and jobs.

Internship works like a charm

Hollie Parker knows how hard it is to find work experience having applied for roles all over Sydney.

But now the UTS student has taken advantage of the opportunity offered by Gremmo Homes, which has partnered with The Daily Telegraph to offer valuable internship opportunities to young people in Western Sydney.

The 21-year-old is studying design and visual communication and said she was thankful for the opportunity to try her hand in the company’s marketing department.

“It is pushing me closer to achieve my dream position in the industry,” she said.

Hollie Parker, 21, has been interning at Gremmo Homes at Castle Hill. Pictures: Dylan Robinson

Ms Parker said the role, working on the launch of a new website targeted at younger people, had kept her “on her toes”.

“Social media is important these days, it’s great to be part of that, to push it forward and see the results in clicks,” she said.

Hollie is building up her portfolio so she had something to show employers when she finishes her degree.

She said it was vital to get experience to build up her portfolio so she had something to show employers when she finished her degree.

Gremmo Homes is just one of many businesses that have signed up to The Daily Telegraph’s I Want Work Experience program.

With the aim of finding 1000 young people work experience placements in 30 days, the program helps young people without social or school connections to eventually land a job.