The local arm of global company Nestlé ́recently launched the Nestlé needs YOUth initiative at the Courtyard Marriott in Port-of-Spain.
A release said the primary goal is to improve the employability of the youth of T&T aged 16-30 over the period 2015 to 2017 and simultaneously improve Nestlé́’s ability to strengthen their talent pipeline by growing their own timbre through youth development programmes.
Without proper training and development opportunities, the release said, young nationals will not be equipped to make sustainable contributions to our society. Therefore, to help youngsters understand the working world, increase their employability and thus, support the development of T&T, the company has decided to directly and indirectly impact the lives of 3,270 youths over a three-year period through four pillars of action:
• Get Hired: To hire at least 60 youths (temporary and permanent) aged 16-29 by 2017 for applicable positions.
• Get Skilled: To engage at least 70 youths through trainee programmes, internships and apprenticeships by 2017 for applicable functions
• Get Support: To develop 3,000 students through “readiness to work” activities such as career fairs, practice interview sessions, résumé preparation support, youth charity and career development workshops.
• Get More Opportunities: To engage its suppliers in creating 140 employment opportunities for young people by 2017.
As part of its fourth pillar—Get More Opportunities, Nestlé́ will join forces with its suppliers, governmental bodies, local universities and professional associations in what they refer to as an Alliance for YOUth in order to tackle youth unemployment.
Nestlé́ is pleased to have already formally formed an alliance with the T&T Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI). They also look forward to engaging more partners in their Alliance for YOUth such as the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development, Ministry of Labour Small and Microenterprise Development, the National Training Agency including the OJT Programme, the Association of Female Executives of T&T (AFETT) and Human Resource Management Association of T&T (HRMATT) among others, to foster not only employability, but job creation.
An MOU signed between Nestlé́ and TTHTI on September 16 formalised their partnership to establish joint readiness to work initiatives specifically for young culinary students seeking jobs and to create more opportunities for persons aged 16-30.