Getting May off to a flying start, Asuria Youth Jobs Fest headed back to Ballarat for a third successive year, as close to 150 young people came together to learn about new sectors and jobs, explore education and training options, seek advice on apprenticeships and traineeships, and even take part in on-the-spot job interviews, all designed to set people aged 15-24 on the path to employment, training, and further education.
Held at the Civic Hall in Ballarat, eligible 15–24-year-olds joined top employers from the area there to talk to young people about opportunities with their business, discuss available roles, and explain where a career with their company could lead.
Many of the young people in attendance also took part in on-the-spot interviews with employers keen to move forward quickly with those ready to hit the ground running. One participant was particularly encouraged by the willingness of employers to look at recruitment differently, saying of one business, they “seemed very open to employing a lot of different people. I’m on the spectrum myself and they still seemed open to looking at me, which is good.”
Businesses in attendance included JAX Tyres & Auto, Hakubaku Australia, Fletchers Real Estate and several others. While training providers present included ACE Training, GenU Training, Qualify, and Apprenticeship Support Australia.
Lacey Askwith from JAX Tyres & Auto, said of the event: “It was a fantastic day. I could not believe the amount of people who turned up to attend. It was a good chance for us to find candidates.”
In addition to jobs and trainings on offer, attendees at the Youth Jobs Fest were also able to explore different career pathways using virtual reality headsets, and take part in wellbeing activities such as mindful mandalas, worry rock painting and strength beads crafting. Elsewhere in the Activities Space was Giant Jenga, Connect Four, Quoits, and a photo booth complete with props offering chance to capture a fun snap with friends.
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Earlier in the day, Asuria’s Open Hiring Event saw close to 200 job seekers in attendance, where Workforce Australia and Disability Employment Services (DES) participants got to mingle with dozens of local employers across industries including automotive, construction, hospitality, health care, and more to discuss jobs and career potential.
One participant said of the event: “I think it was wonderful actually. It’s a great opportunity for employers to meet potential workers. It’s great. Do it again. Do it more often.”
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McCallum Disability Services, a social enterprise, supported both events by providing a Barista coffee van at the Open Hiring event, offering work experience to their participants. While, at the Youth Jobs Fest, McCallum provided career advice on becoming a Disability Support Worker to our Transition to Work participants.
Asuria Australia CEO, Nicole Grainger-Marsh, said of the 2025 events: “The feedback from this year’s Ballarat Youth Jobs Fest and Open Hiring Events has been so incredibly positive from employers and jobseekers alike, and we look forward to continuing to support everyone who attended in their pathway to employment, training or education.”
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