A recent partnership between Go Nagambie and Country Education Partnerships Rural Inspire program has brought to light an array of career opportunities for the local youth within the Nagambie region. The partnership has seen the local industries within the Nagambie surrounds undergo a comprehensive survey to identify local career pathway opportunities.
The initial survey has confirmed that the town holds significant career opportunities for the local youth, but the current challenge is getting the young people to connect with these industries and jobs offered in their local towns.
The initial survey results showed the following:
- There are currently over 150 vacant jobs
- 64% of these jobs are full-time jobs
- Just 16% of jobs are currently filled by young people under 25 years old.
Following on from the survey, the Rural Inspire team will meet with a select group of local young people to explore the career pathways available to them in Nagambie. This is an exciting opportunity that allows young people to take control of their future and explore opportunities available to them in key industries in their local towns. For the local businesses located in Nagambie, this program offers them the chance to open up the doors to work with local students and provide job opportunities that have the potential to develop into impressive careers.
John Beresford, convenor of the Youth Futures Project shared:
“Nagambie has a number of vibrant and expanding industries that provide a breadth of employment opportunities covering equine, horticulture, viticulture, tourism, health and community services, and hospitality industries – and with the growth in population there is also a growing demand for the building and construction industry.”
Nagambie, a rural town located 1.5 hours outside of the Melbourne CBD and based on the tranquil Lake Nagambie, has a population of around 3,000. Over the last couple of years, this quiet country town has seen tremendous growth, with no signs of slowing down. Nagambie’s population is forecast to double over the next decade. It’s one of the many rural towns in Victoria that have seen a wave of growth in the last few years with people from the inner city and surroundings searching for their tree change. With this growth comes opportunity, as local industries expand, more jobs become available and career pathways are opened. With the valuable market research completed by the Youth Futures Project, locals may now be able to find their dream career which previously may not have been an option within the town.
One of the unique challenges that local youth within Nagambie face is that the town does not currently have a secondary school for students to attend. Instead, students have to commute daily, often for up to an hour, to one of the several schools located in neighbouring towns. The impact this has on the local community is significant, particularly in relation to employment opportunities for those graduating out of high school and looking to join the workforce. This partnership opens up a doorway for local businesses to engage and support students within the community, to encourage them to explore the jobs available to them within their town.
The next stage of this exciting partnership will see the Country Education Partnerships Rural Inspire team coming together in Nagambie, with a group of select students to explore the job opportunities available to them within Nagambie. The recent survey has confirmed that job opportunities are available to youth within the town. The challenge now is to connect local youth, who are educated in adjoining towns, to the opportunities available to them within their backyards. The Rural Inspire program aims to achieve this. Rural Inspire is a nationally recognised initiative that encourages young people to explore future aspirations, challenge common views and build confidence and empowerment in students.
“The focus of the Local Rural Youth Ambassadors is to engage with young people within an identified rural community to explore their learning and after-school aspirations and to encourage them to chase their dreams through the development of locally determined initiatives and programs.” Phil Brown said
“Country Education Partnerships Rural Inspire initiative was seen as a real opportunity to increase the aspirations and awareness of young people within the community.” John Beresford shared.
Local students are set to meet with the Rural Inspire team in August. In this initial meeting, they will come together and discuss the recent research on the job opportunities available to them and their fellow students. As well as reviewing the new opportunities presented, they will explore initiatives that can be developed to share these new opportunities within the community. An integral part of this program will be exploring how local businesses and young people can work together in partnerships to keep up with growth in the local industry and allow the students to elevate their careers in their towns.
To find out more about Rural Inspire visit the website or follow Rural Inspire on socials.
To find out more about the Youth Futures Project click here
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