The National Retail Association (NRA) has affirmed its support for the federal Government’s PaTH (Prepare-Trial-Hire) program outlined in the federal budget.
NRA CEO Ian Winterburn says that it is disappointing to see the negativity in the media surrounding the initiative.
“It’s a shame that people are not seeing the program from the perspective of vulnerable young people who are trying to get some assistance and find a job,” Mr Winterburn said. “At the NRA, we hope both sides of politics realise this program is very much about giving young people a chance to get a foothold in the retail industry. The aim of the PaTH program is to give vulnerable jobseekers, under 25, six weeks of intensive workplace training and up to 12 weeks in a paid internship, which would boost their unemployment payments by $200 a fortnight, making this initiative particularly relevant for retailers who fall into the SBE category.”
Mr Winterburn says that the measure will “only be successful if employers across the board join together to do the right thing and ensure they use the program in the very best interests of young people.”