Upskilling for the future: why Joe is playing his best hand

Meet Joe, one of our awesome rangatahi enrolled in our Te Tahi Youth Employment Programme.

Our youth employment navigators work with young people from 15 to 24 years of age using a holistic, wrap-around service to help rangatahi get the job they want.

When Joe came to us wanting to build his skills and confidence for his career, we could see his potential and were excited to help him find and pursue his passion.

Joe’s dream job of working as a croupier at a casino had a wee snag - he wasn’t yet 20, which is the minimum age for working at a casino.

To help Joe achieve his dream, we’ve treated the time until he turns 20 as an opportunity for him to upskill. Brushing up on his CV, work experience, and relevant qualifications are just some of the things he’s been working hard to master since he signed up with this year.

Currently, he’s studying a 13-week hospitality course, where he learns everything from barista skills, to mixing cocktails and serving tables. Joe and Caitlin, his Employment Navigator, chose the course together, after looking at a few different options they had investigated.

“She sat down with me and had a chat, told me about it, and then we just went and had a browse. Skills Update seemed like a good fit,” Joe says.

“One of the best things about being in the Employment Programme is that I got to sit my driver's licence as well, so I’m feeling well prepared for the next step.”

Excited for the future, Joe says as soon as he’s of age, he’ll be ready to apply at the casino and pursue his dream. For now, he’s just getting started, and he’s enjoying every minute of it.

Take charge of your life and your future – we're here to help! If you’d like to refer yourself or someone else get in touch here (https://tetahiyouth.org.nz/referrals)