The Nestlé Global Youth Initiative will help young people across the world develop skills and become more employable. It aims to develop young talent for the company and help tackle the global youth unemployment crisis.
The initiative follows Nestlé’s Youth Employment Initiative in Europe, launched in 2013 with a pledge to create 20,000 positions for young people across the continent over three years.
Close to 12,000 jobs and training opportunities have been created in Europe so far. Last year Nestlé expanded this youth employment scheme, creating the Alliance for YOUth to mobilise companies who wanted to help the young people of Europe find work.
Nestlé Trinidad & Tobago will create close to 270 jobs and internships for young people between the ages of 16-30 years old in Trinidad & Tobago. It will also rollout a Readiness for Work programme, for over 3,000 students, offering career counselling, CV workshops and interview training at schools, colleges and Nestlé sites.
“The Nestlé Global Youth Initiative is an investment for the future. We want to continue developing the next generation of Nestlé leaders. I am confident that the opportunities we are offering will ensure that young people across the world are able to gain the skills they need to meet their professional aspirations”Nestlé CEO, Paul Bulcke
Brighter future
A lack of education and skills, low availability of formal, permanent jobs and ‘skills mismatch’, where overqualified people are forced to take low skilled jobs, are key issues.
In addition to offering jobs, internships and training programmes, the Nestlé Global Youth Initiative in Trinidad & Tobago will place special focus on helping young men, who are particularly affected by youth unemployment, to build entrepreneurial skills.
The programme will also build formal partnerships with government employment agencies and other corporations to find young people suitable jobs.
Strong foundation
Both Nestlé’s global and European youth initiatives are based on a model particular to Switzerland, known as a dual education system. The system involves combining educational activities with practical apprenticeships and training.