It’s a case of one down, 11 to go for the Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs in the Ashburton District.
The pilot programme is on the board with its first successful employment outcome, and it is already closing in on others.
Ashburton’s Mayor Neil Brown initiated the Mayor’s Taskforce For Jobs (MTFJ) pilot, which is partnered with the Ministry of Social Development to lead the Rural Community Resilience Programme, earlier this year.
Brown was keen on the project as he is aware of the labour shortage in parts of the district and that “there are young people out there who could do the work, given a chance and some training”.
The six-month pilot scheme launched in February with a business breakfast for local businesses, and the programme’s funding allowed the employment coach Sharon Watson to get stuck into the task.
At the end of March Micheala Currie, 23, was the first success of the scheme when she started working at the Ashburton Hospital as part of the health facility’s security workforce.
With Currie securing a job, Ashburton District Council group manager compliance and development, Jane Donaldson, said the scheme is now looking to get the total up to 12 people into sustainable employment by June.
“Job vacancies change daily and so we are working with various businesses across different industries week to week,” Donaldson said.
The programme is focused on finding employment for young people, aged 16-24, and disadvantaged groups in the labour market, Donaldson said and will “work with any organisation” in the district in the process of matching up potential employees with employers.

• By Jonathan Leask