PaTH Internship results in a win-win for participant and employer

After a period of unemployment, 19-year-old TURSA client Lincoln Delaforce is now working with Crown Oysters, the largest oyster grower in the Hastings.

Lincoln was offered a full-time paid position after successfully completing an internship with the company.

“The internship gave me a chance to show my skills and work ethic but also gave me a feeling of purpose every morning when I woke up,” says Lincoln.

Crown Oysters is just one of thirty local Kempsey and Port Macquarie businesses who have already taken on youth interns as part of a new Commonwealth Government strategy to address high levels of youth unemployment on the Mid North Coast.

Cowper MP Luke Hartsuyker recently visited Lincoln in his workplace to congratulate both him and Crown Oysters on their initiative.

Robert Van Breenan of Crown Oysters said that Lincoln had impressed him during the internship and proved himself as a hard worker who showed up on time, was enthusiastic, willing to learn and take instructions.

Employers are now able to trial young unemployed people through PaTH Internships, which are short placements for 30 to 50 hours per fortnight, to see if they are right for each other. The young people volunteer for these intern positions so have high levels of motivation.

Employers do not pay any wages during the internships and receive an incentive payment of $1,000 to assist with training the intern.

TURSA Youth Mentor, Dave Kearsey who helped organise the internship, says “Internships are really catching on in the local area with employers realising this is a really effective way to trial potential young employees before offering ongoing employment. The young person also gets to try out the job first to see if they like it and feel suited to the type of work. Businesses that employ interns can receive up to $10,000 in wage subsidies as well as other incentives so it makes real business sense to consider these when employing young people”.

For further details about the PaTH program please don’t hesitate to contact your local TURSA office.