Nestlé Youth Day initiatives impact 4,000 young people in region

Nestlé 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 all employees are under the age of 30.
The brand is also collaborating with the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, and the United Nations, for an event highlighting key youth-related issues in the UAE, with speakers from the local government, UN, and various private sector entities.
In a region where youth unemployment rates reach 27 per cent, Nestlé was the first company to publish 20 forward looking commitments in 2015, 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 programmes, mainly implemented under the umbrella of the Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, which promotes the skills and employability of young people.
Nestlé Needs YOUth encompasses a number of existing programmes including the Nestlé Center of Excellence, which conducts CV Clinic workshops and mock interviews training in various countries; Business Case Studies competitions; and the Graduate Development Programme which fast-tracks career development within Nestlé.
"Nestlé Middle East believes in taking an active role in fostering career opportunities for the youth. 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 age 30.
"We also work towards Fostering Youth Employability, by preparing graduates, providing opportunities, and bridging the gap between university education and corporate expectations."
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.
Launched by the United Nations in 1999, International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com