When Burnie businesses support young people’s education, Burnie Works. That’s why we’re asking Burnie Businesses to PLEDGE to provide Student Friendly Workplaces.
Through conversations with education providers, parents/carers, students and members of the Every Day Counts Community Network, Burnie Works learnt that many Burnie students, as young as 14, are employed in casual work.
Examination of data identified that students in Burnie are working more hours than their peers in other areas of lutruwita / Tasmania.
Every Day Counts Community Network member Ian Jones from Business Northwest said “Young people are getting experience and earning money – we certainly don’t want to stop that from happening, it’s great!
“However, education is important and should be the priority for young people at this age.
“We have heard that some students are working late shifts and are being rostered on during school hours. We have also heard that this is happening during exams.”
After reviewing all the feedback and data – we decided to develop a campaign to focus on the role of local business, helping them to identify how to be student friendly employers.
Working with the network, students, schools and Business Northwest we are excited to launch this campaign today to raise awareness among Burnie businesses of the steps they can take to support their casual student workforce.
To support students as they balance school, work, and personal commitments, we are asking Burnie businesses for their help by pledging to the following actions:
- We will not roster students on to work during school hours.
- We will not offer students last minute shifts during school hours.
- We will be considerate when rostering students on school nights.
- We will not roster students on late shifts on the nights before exams, and we will encourage students to work less in the two weeks leading up to exams.
- We will communicate and adhere to workplace legislation and our own policies around the rights of employees, especially when employing young people who are at school.
Lydia and Andrew Turner were the first to sign the pledge today and said “It’s a privilege to employ and support young people, so work becomes a really positive part of their lives. This campaign hits on some key things that help students balance all their commitments. We were keen to sign up and share that The Chapel and Communion Brewing are Student Friendly Workplaces.”
Burnie Works Chair Jacqueline de Jonge said “It is important that young people know that the community care about the issues they (and their educators) raise and help them do something about it. By signing the pledge, businesses will be listed as a Student Friendly Workplace on the Burnie Works website.
They will also appear on printed posters that will be made available to schools in 2024 – to help students find Student Friendly Businesses in Burnie.”
This a Burnie Works Every Day Counts Community Network initiative and we would like to thank our partners and supporters Business Northwest, Hellyer College, Marist Regional College, Parklands High School and Burnie High School for their support of the campaign.