As a businessman and philanthropist I get many requests – for funding, to be a keynote speaker, to support various projects. Unfortunately, I can’t do everything, but when I was asked to support an Auckland Council initiative to get young people into training and employment I was genuinely excited.

Auckland has 34,000 young people currently not involved in education, employment or training and that’s an alarming statistic – not just for those young people. It’s an alarming statistic for employers in Auckland and indeed New Zealand.

Those 34,000 young people are untapped talent and they deserve to have a chance to earn a job. Thankfully, the Youth Connections initiative is making that happen by mobilising employers, parents, training organisations, schools and young people to create opportunities. This involves local board champions across the region engaging the business community in taking a lead role developing its future workforce.

The Tindall Foundation, among others, is a proud financial supporter of Youth Connections, and I was a very willing ‘talking head’ on the website (www.youthconnections.co.nz) to encourage employers to sign up.

Statistics are definitely not the focus of this initiative, which has been running for just over a year and gaining a good deal of traction, however, connections have been made with more than 750 young people and more than 130 businesses are engaged.

The advantage of Youth Connections is its flexibility and focus on solutions. Youth Connections works hard to understand what employers want and provides the support that young people need, and engages a range of strategies across the region to support the development of a sustainable workforce.

Employers cannot let their workforce stagnate or disregard the need for succession planning. Businesses need young people for the diversity and potential they bring; our young people are the answer to the looming challenge of our ageing workforce.

Every year for the next 19 years a successively larger cohort will reach the retirement zone with a successively smaller cohort taking its place. Employers must be investing in and developing those who can step up and keep the momentum of their business going when other people retire or leave.

I urge all employers to get involved. Go to the Youth Connections website, sign up to participate and help make a difference to your business, and to the youth of Auckland. Being a business person is not just about making a profit and it is not a short-term investment. It is about doing something noble for the community and being part of the Youth Connections’ movement is an excellent way to do just that.