By Mikayla van Loon
Finding work and choosing a career path as a young person can be daunting but for eight school leavers getting the opportunity to be mentored in the tourism industry has been a confidence boosting experience.
The Tourism Enterprise Scholarship Program, a collaboration between Yarra Ranges Tourism and the State government’s Eastern Metropolitan Partnership, has provided young people with work placements and free training in a certificate III in tourism over a 12 month period.
Four months into the program, Healesville Sanctuary’s events and tourism coordinator Donna Paterson said it has already been a pleasure being able to showcase her own role in the industry while helping a young person find their way in the industry too.
“This mentoring program gives young people an opportunity to explore the tourism sector and gain an understanding of various aspects of the industry. It’s also really useful for young people to find out their strengths,” she said.
As a mentor Ms Paterson has been paired with Taylor Johnson, who originally left school and took up a floristry apprenticeship but didn’t see it as a viable career option long term.
Applying for the scholarship program looking for a change, Miss Johnson said what appealed to her about the scholarship was the link to the travel industry.
“It’s human nature to want to travel and to see the world,” she said.
Hearing from business owners both during the Covid-19 pandemic and afterwards about the inability to find staff, the scholarship aims to connect travel-passionate young people, who are willing to learn on the job, to some of the best tourism destinations in the Yarra Valley.
A report called Jobs for Youth, undertaken by the Eastern Metropolitan Partnership, found there was an 8.4 per cent youth unemployment rate in the outer east in December 2019 with job opportunities not matching skill sets.
Accommodation and food services was noted as one of the top six growing industries in the region and data from 2018 placed tourism, hospitality and events as the third highest vocational education training choice for young women.
While the interest was there, converting that to employment was becoming a challenge for tourism operators.
“As tourism is closely linked to hospitality, there has definitely been staff shortages in the industry,” Ms Paterson said.
“However, this mentoring program highlights the multitude of roles available in the industry to suit varying skill sets. It gives young people an opportunity to explore our beautiful region and share that knowledge with their peers.”
This has been something Miss Johnson has really valued about the scholarship program already, being able to experience all the different facets of the industry.
“One of the really good things about the placements and what keeps us engaged, is the fact that we’re moving around a lot,” she said.
“I think that’s a common theme with young people, they don’t like being put in one position and where I’m working I’m moving around, working weddings, waitressing, working at the back in the kitchen and doing reservations.
“So I think moving around all the areas keeps us engaged and makes us really interested in what we’re doing rather than being put in a certain position.”
Being in the industry for over 20 years, Ms Paterson said she didn’t realise how much she had to offer someone who was just starting their career.
“It has made me self-reflect on the value that I can contribute to the region and the diverse skills that I have acquired,” she said.
“It has been wonderful to impart my knowledge and learnings from the diverse nature of my work at Healesville Sanctuary as a tourism destination.”
Sharing her decades worth of knowledge, Ms Paterson said, comes in the form of coaching, problem solving and support for Miss Johnson.
Impressed by Miss Johnson’s eagerness to learn and ability to ask questions, Ms Paterson said she could already see her development and growth in confidence in just a few months.
“It has given me real hope for the next generation. I know we are in good hands when these mentees become future leaders,” she said.
Seeing the connections this program has been able to give to these eight mentees, Ms Paterson said makes her look forward to what is to come for Miss Johnson and the other scholarship participants.
“One thing I know in the Yarra Valley, people move around from job to job and there’s a lot of people like myself who have worked in lots of different places and sometimes when you walk out a door the door closes behind you,” Ms Paterson said.
“I think for these mentees, they’re going to be going through a lot of doors and the door will still be open. They’re really forging relationships and networking as well. So that’s a very positive thing.”
If given the opportunity to be a mentor again, Ms Paterson said she would jump at the chance because it has refreshed her view of the industry and the Yarra Valley itself.
