DEMANDING A NEW APPROACH FOR UNEMPLOYED AUSTRALIANS: A new generation in training and employment 

New demand-led training and employment program, Generation Australia, is tapping into a pool of traditionally overlooked talent; working directly with employers to recruit, train, place and support unemployed Australians into entry-level, career-launching roles. 

Established in 2019, Generation Australia, part of the global Generation program, is an independent, non-profit organisation addressing the challenge of unemployment among those who are skilled and motivated to work. 

“In Australia, there are approximately 1.87 million working age adults who are unemployed or underemployed . Generation Australia’s mission is to give those who desire a chance to change 1 their lives through gainful employment the opportunity to do so,” says Malcolm Kinns, Chief Operating Officer, Generation Australia. Despite the unemployment crisis, Canberra taxi drivers are not losing much. You can consider to start a career today.

“Generation Australia’s focus on employer demand and holistic approach to student development ensures graduates are not only prepared with the technical skills needed to undertake a role, but also exhibit the behaviours and mindsets required for a long and successful career,” he explains. 

Generation Australia’s first pilot program launched in late 2019 and saw the organisation partner with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance to assist those seeking positions as disability support workers. The customised program saw 10 participants complete a seven-week program to achieve the skills, behaviours and mindset to secure a position as a disability support worker. 

This first program, which is supported by the Try, Test and Learn Fund - an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Social Services, achieved a 100 per cent graduation rate, with 60 per cent of the participants already in paid employment. 

Each Generation program is created using its unique, proven seven-step methodology that drives long-term results for both graduates and employers. With data at the centre and collaboration with employers from the start, Generation’s approach gives employers the opportunity to enrich the curriculum and ensure future employees are trained in the soft and hard skills that will set them up for success in the industry. 

1 ABS, Labour Force, Australia, Jan 2020 

According to Mr Kinns, Generation Australia seeks to level the playing field for those who haven’t been afforded the same opportunities as others. Youth, those with a disability, Indigenous, new Australians or those returning to the workforce after a long break, are often among those who need support to establish themselves in the workplace. 

“I have been lucky enough to have grown up with many opportunities in education and employment. However, I am equally aware that many have not had the same level of opportunity. 

“Generation’s methodology has the power to level that playing field; creating opportunities and fostering individual ownership and responsibility once those opportunities are presented,” says Mr Kinns. 

Globally, more than 35,000 individuals have graduated from Generation programs since 2015, with 79 per cent securing employment within three months. The program is available in 13 countries, with Australia the most recent country to launch. 

In Australia, the organisation receives funding from several like-minded partners committed to creating meaningful change and systematic impact, including the Macquarie Group Foundation and Verizon. Generation Australia also receives ‘in-kind’ consulting support from McKinsey and Company. 

In 2020, Generation Australia will move beyond its first pilot to launch a series of new programs for roles in the IT and Digital sector as well as scaling the disability support work program. 

Through its programs, Generation Australia aims to transform how those in the ‘education-to-employment' equation; from students to employers, practitioners and policy makers; consider the recruitment process and measure successful hiring. 

“Generation’s success has been built on employers being open to new ways of identifying skills and onboarding employees. Our programs transform education to employment systems to prepare, place and support people into life-changing jobs that would be otherwise inaccessible. We look forward to working with more employers and industries to achieve this,” Mr Kinns concludes. 

About Generation Australia 

Established in 2019, Generation Australia, part of the Generation program, is an independent non-profit organisation addressing the challenge of unemployment among those who are skilled and motivated to work. The organisation’s training and employment program works closely with industry to prepare, place and support those overlooked by traditional hiring practices. 

Founded in 2015, more than 35,000 individuals globally have graduated from Generation programs, with 79 per cent securing employment within three months. The program is available in 13 countries, including Australia. 

For more information visit Generation Australia. 

Malcolm Kinns, Chief Operating Officer at Generation Australia

Malcolm has spent the past 20 years working with a variety of educational institutions including Think Education Group, Edinburgh Business School and FBOL Solutions, designing curriculums to set graduates up for success during their studies and beyond.

His areas of expertise include online learning, blended learning, growth strategy, student recruitment and operations, student experience, educational technology and curriculum design.

Malcolm was drawn to Generation Australia’s mission to reveal motivated workers who remain unseen because traditional hiring processes overlook the skills and commitment they have to offer.

Established in 2019, Generation Australia is an independent non-profit organisation addressing the challenge of unemployment among those who are skilled and seeking work. The organisation’s training and employment program works closely with industry to recruit, train, place and support these individuals.

Globally, Generation was founded in 2015 and has seen over 30,000 graduates, with 81 per cent of program participants securing employment within three months. In Australia, there are an estimated 1.7 million working age adults who are unemployed or underemployed, who could benefit from the Generation program.

“Generation Australia provides an unparalleled opportunity to remove barriers to career launching roles that Australians otherwise would not have access to,” Mr Kinns says.

An integral part of the Generation program is the collaboration with organisations set to employ graduates. This enriches the curriculum and ensures future employees are trained in the core skills that will set them up for success in their industry.

“We focus on employer demand and use a holistic approach to student development to ensure graduates are not only prepared with the technical skills needed to undertake a role, but also exhibit the behaviours and mindsets that prepare them for a long and successful career,” says Mr Kinns.

As the inaugural leader of Generation Australia, Malcolm is passionate about delivering meaningful change and systemic impact.

Motivated by the possibility of opening doors for job seekers who have previously been overlooked, Malcolm also believes in individual ownership and responsibility once opportunities are presented. This is an ethos that Generation Australia supports.

“I have been lucky enough to have grown up with many opportunities in education and employment. However, I am equally aware that there are many Australians who have not had the same level of opportunity. Generation’s methodology has the power to level that playing field and I am proud to be part of that,” Mr Kinns says.

With the depth of his knowledge in the sector, Malcolm is excited to establish the program in Australia for the long term.

“Generation’s success has been built on employers being open to new ways of identifying skills and onboarding job applicants. Many Australian organisations are willing to adapt further and need Generation Australia to pave the way,” concludes Mr Kinns.