NESTLE Middle East is commemorating International Youth Day this year with an update on various Nestlé Needs YOUth initiatives, impacting more than 4,000 young people across the region where over one third of employees are under 30 years old. In a region where youth unemployment rates reach 27%, Nestlé in 2015 was the first company to publish 20 forward looking commitments including one in the area of People and Compliance, which is to "foster further opportunities of starting and developing careers for the youth in the Middle East." This is being done through the launch and expansion of a number of programs, mainly implemented under the umbrella of the Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative – which promotes the strengthening and development of the skills and employability of young people. "Nestlé Middle East believes in taking an active role to foster career opportunities for the youth through Enhancing Employment to enrich our local talent pipeline for skilled workforce and future leaders in our Company," said Christine Geary, Human Resources Director at Nestlé Middle East. "In the past five years, we have employed close to 2,000 young people below the age of 30." "We also work towards Fostering Youth Employability, by preparing graduates, providing opportunities, and bridging the gap between university education and corporate expectations." Nestlé Needs YOUth encompasses a number of existing programs including the Nestlé Center of Excellence that has trained 134 graduates since it first opened in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and then Oman in 2014. This replicable training model is planned to expand into Iran and Kuwait in 2017. Also implemented under its wing are regular Readiness for Work events, including CV Clinic workshops and mock interviews training in various countries; Business Case Studies competitions; and the Graduate Development Program which fast-tracks career development within Nestlé. Nestlé Middle East also recently called for an Alliance for Youth to bring together as many entities as possible that share the same objective of enhancing opportunities and skills among the region's youth, "because we know from experience in other regions that our efforts can have a bigger social impact through partnerships and collaboration," Geary noted. Launched by the United Nations in 1999, International Youth Day is observed annually on Aug. 12. It is meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide, involving concerts, workshops, cultural events, and meetings.
