Mayors’ Taskforce helps youth into jobs Eight join aquatics sector

• Author: Alyssa Smith
• Published date: 22 June 2022
• Publication title: Stratford Press

MTFJ partnered with the Ministry of Social Development in 2020 to develop a community recovery programme

The programme provided up to $500,000 to 23 rural councils with a national aim to help 1150 young people not in education, employment or training or workers displaced by COVID-19, onto a sustainable employment pathway.

To date, the Stratford Workforce Programme has supported more than 100 young people into employment across 45 local businesses.

TSB Pool Complex aquatics services acting team leader Charlie Watts says since the programme began, eight young people have found meaningful work in the aquatics sector.

He says the aquatics industry is struggling to find people to fill roles and the taskforce is helping.

“Aquatics can be quite an expensive industry to get into, with lifeguard and first aid...