Ellearn Savvidis is steering her career in the right direction.
The 18-year-old Taylors Lakes resident is a month into a four-year mechanic’s apprenticeship with Mercedes Benz Airport Express and is relishing spending hands-on time in the workshop.
“It’s awesome,” Ms Savvidis says. “I never dreamt I’d be working for such a big, impressive company so early in my career.
“Everyone is nice and they don’t care what sex you are – everyone is treated the same.”
Ms Savvidis is one of three Brimbank residents – joining North Sunshine’s Harley Mills and Deer Park’s Fernando Obien – to land Mercedes Benz apprenticeships through the Citi New Recruits Program, which helps disadvantaged young people get into the workplace.
The Skilling Australia Foundation and financial services company Citi joined forces in 2013 in a bid to drive down the youth unemployment rate, which now currently stands at 14.2 per cent.
The program helps develop the skills of disadvantaged young people with a four-week job-ready boot camp that teaches teamwork and leadership skills, occupational health and safety, and budgeting on apprentice wages.
Participants are then placed into apprentice- ships and traineeships and have a dedicated, one-on-one mentor who assists in overcoming any barriers that arise.
Stephen Roberts, of Citi Australia, said that during the program’s first 12 months, 83 per cent of Citi recruits were engaged in employment, education or training.
Mr Roberts said it was important for young Australians to become job ready, gain employment and have the financial capability to adopt good saving habits.
