It was time for a celebration for a special group of students this week, with 15 graduates all receiving a Certificate III in Business - something many of them never thought would happen. The class are currently all participating in the Transition to Work (TTW) program, which is delivered by our team at Youth Employment Partnership (YEP).
For the majority of the students in the program, it was their first graduation ceremony. Most of them had not completed secondary school.
The graduation ceremony wasn’t the only reason for celebration – with four graduates now employed, one undertaking a work trial, and three moving on to additional education.
“It’s really a day of celebration, not just for the students, but for us too,” shared YEP’s Regional Team Leader, Jade Heatley.
“Our Mentors Skye, Claire and Juna really encouraged all the students to try their best and to finish their studies so they could participate in the graduation ceremony.
“We love to see the hard work of our young participants paying off,” Jade said.
YEP deliver services for the Transition to Work (TtW) program, designed to help young people aged between 15-21 to become job-ready and assist them with getting into work. As part of the program, the graduates participated in a Certificate III in Business through education provider Alffie.
By working closely with external organisations, YEP supports youth who may be at risk of long-term unemployment by encouraging them into education or work.
“We suggested to all our graduates to bring a special person along with them to enjoy the ceremony, and it was great to see them all understanding the importance of education, which is something we hope to instil in all our participants.
“We had one participant whose family lives overseas, and he was taking photos to send to them. It was a really significant day for these young people,” Jade shared.
As part of the celebration, the graduates were treated to an enormous graduation cake and were gifted with a teddy bear from PeoplePlus to mark the occasion.
“This special group really persevered to get their study done with the help of their mentors,” Jade said.
“It was really motivating for everyone – it was lovely to see.”
Since 2016, YEP has engaged and monitored over 2000 young people aged 15-21 across Sydney and Adelaide who have been referred to our services for the Transition to Work program by the Federal Government. From this figure, 1165 have secured employment, many in their first ever job and 856 have enrolled to further their studies with the support of our team.
PeoplePlus and Youth Employment Partnership congratulates the graduates on their Certificates and wish them well with their future endeavours.
To find out more about YEP Australia and their services for the Transition to Work program, visit www.peopleplusaustralia.com.au/programs/transition-to-work