Why
The stark increase in youth underemployment rates[1] in the Hunter Region when compared to the national average highlights the need to develop pathways to provide experience, skill building opportunities, and vocational education and training to improve access to employment opportunities.
The circular economy provides us with an opportunity to rethink how we approach our future in relation to sustainability, community well-being, economic, social, and cultural development, and job creation. Though, to achieve this impact in the Hunter Region, we require our local workforce to be prepared with the skills, knowledge, and initiative to facilitate these industry transitions.
How
Our networking platform will empower students to make a positive impact, connecting like-minded people to drive the conversation about what their future looks like and effect real change. Our Hunter 100 leadership group will have access to our locally developed education, training, and mentoring programs integrated with a circular economy ethos to equip them with employability skills and provide access to volunteering opportunities.
What we are going to do
Implementation of a circular economy will pioneer career opportunities for emerging students, attract innovative start-ups to the region, and generate sustainable jobs[2,3]. This project will harness young people’s proven passion and dedication to protect our climate by helping them to gain the skills, networks, and confidence to solve problems around transitioning to a regenerative circular economy. This will provide significant economic benefits for organisations through improvement in environmental initiatives, resource recovery[4], and the overall liveability of the region. The increasingly progressive culture of the Hunter region will further entice innovation organisations to the region, stimulating growth and providing opportunities for the Hunter 100 leadership group to work or volunteer within these organisations. Ultimately increasing the availability and resilience of circular economy jobs.
Scholarships
- The first 50 eligible Hunter 100 network applicants will have membership fees waived.
Now what can you do?
- Become a circular economy pioneer by sponsoring the project
- Apply to join the Hunter 100 network
- Apply for an internship
- Spread the word far and wide!
To become a circular economy pioneer or to find out more information about how you can support the Hunter 100 project, please visit www.gocircular.org.au or contact Go Circular on info@gocircular.org.au
- Bill, A., Hunter economic update. Hunter Research Foundation Centre. 2020.
- NSW Circular, A circular economy can boost GDP by billions. 2020.
- Labour Market Information Portal, 2020 Employment Projections – for the five years to November 2025. 2021.
- The CIE, Headline economic value for waste and materials efficiency in Australia. 2017.
Sponsors for Hunter 100: Circular Economy Youth Leadership program
The Go Circular team wishes to thank those organisations and businesses who have supported our Hunter 100: Circular Economy Youth Leadership program and continue to be involved in the program’s delivery.
