ADVERTORIAL: KFC employee Robert Abrenica, 19, serves up 1000 pieces of chicken every day

YOUTH unemployment in Australia has risen above the worldwide average. But some young people are being smart about how they approach their career.

Robert Abrenica.

YOUTH unemployment in Australia has risen above the worldwide average. But some young people are being smart about how they approach their career – and not relying on a university degree to get them a good job.

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Robert Abrenica, 19, is a KFC Cook at the Dee Why store in NSW, hand-breading, cooking and serving up almost 1,000 pieces of fresh chicken every day.

Starting when he was 15, Robert has risen to become the company’s top Cook in NSW, as dubbed by KFC’s annual Olympics-style customer service competition.

Today, he’s studying Arts and Education at the University of NSW, while still continuing shift work at KFC.

“I’m studying to be a high school English and History teacher. But I don’t think I should rely on just going to university and getting a degree. These days, a degree doesn’t mean a job”, he said.

“If you’d asked me when I was 15, I never would have said that I planned to continue on and potentially manage my own store.

News_Image_File: Robert Abrenica.

“But I’ve been able to do a lot more than just pack meals for customers.

“As a KFC Cook, I now know how to cook fresh chicken, hand-bread it in flour in spices, fry it, grill it – a lot more than just dropping frozen chicken into a deep fryer.”

You’d think that studying a university degree would be enough, but Robert has also completed management skills training while working at KFC, building his communication and leadership skills.

“I’m now learning how to manage a million dollar business – thinking about how much fresh chicken we need to have delivered every day, food safety and more,” he said.

So what advice can Robert give young Australians looking to land a job in this tough employment climate?

News_Image_File: KFC crew.

“Your casual job at high school can be more than just a way to get some extra pocket money.

“A lot of companies like KFC can offer training, education assistance and support even while you’re completing a university degree – so that even a casual job can give you useful skills for your career.”

Meet your local KFC Cook at KFC’s Open Kitchen Day on 23rd August. At over 150 stores nationwide, Aussies will be taken on behind the scenes tours where they’ll be shown the secret behind KFC’s famous Original Recipe chicken. They’ll also get to enjoy two free pieces of chicken that has been cooked up in front of them during the tour.

Sign up for your local Open Kitchen Day and find out more about what your KFC Cook does every day.

This content is supplied by KFC.