The Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit

Members of the Gold Coast Community Investment Committee have teamed up with TAFE Queensland to launch and pilot a free resource for employers named The Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit. Whilst employment is at record lows on the Gold Coast, youth unemployment remains elevated. The Employer Champion Toolkit aims to ensure more young workers and local businesses are set up for future success.

TAFE Queensland, Riviera Marine, Currumbin RSL, Gold Coast City Council and The Department of Small Business and Training are some of the prominent employers on the Community Investment Committee that believe young people will play an important role in creating strong and sustainable future workforces.

Gen Z Employment, National Youth Employment Body and the Brotherhood of St Laurence facilitate the Community Investment Committee and are leaders in the community services, social justice and youth employment sectors. 

The General Manager of Gen Z Employment, Carmen Auer said the Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit was developed in close consultation with employers and young people who both recognised the critical need to invest more into employment pathways and retention strategies for young people on the Gold Coast.

“Young people and employers identified together the disconnect between recruitment processes, onboarding, awareness of wellbeing in workplaces and the importance of retaining great young employees,” Mrs Auer said.

“The Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit is a part of The Community Investment Committee Youth Action Plan and a major project co-designed using employers’ needs and young people's collaboration and feedback.”

TAFE Queensland are the first to pilot the Toolkit and are using it to help support the recruitment and retention of a new traineeship program.

“We selected TAFE Queensland to participate in the trial of the Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit because they are not only the state’s largest and most trusted provider of education and training, but they are also an official Youth Employer Champion within the Gold Coast Community Investment Committee,” she said.

TAFE Queensland’s Director of Business Development on the Gold Coast Simon Hislop said the training provider has been utilising aspects of the toolkit for its own traineeship program to improve attraction and retention of young people.

“TAFE Queensland is a Youth Employer Champion and understands the importance of providing pathways for youth into employment,” Mr Hislop said.

“Key to this is supporting employers with the tools and resources required to help them attract and retain young people into their businesses.”

“The toolkit is an excellent resource for employers wanting to engage young people in their businesses.”

“TAFE Queensland is proud to work together with all members of the Gold Coast Community Investment Committee to help create and strengthen pathways that support all young people into meaningful careers whilst also supporting business and industry on the Gold Coast,” he said.

The Gold Coast Employer Champion Toolkit is free and both employers and young workers can visit gcemployertoolkit.com to learn more.