KUALA LUMPUR: Nestle Malaysia Bhd will provide job opportunities for 500 youths particularly from B40 communities by 2021 in conjunction with the International Youth Day.
The company said the commitment was part of its efforts to support vulnerable communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is also a first new step in line with the group's global ambition to help 10 million young people have access to economic opportunities by 2030.
Youth unemployment was a global issue which had been further compounded due to the impact of Covid-19., Nestle Malaysia said.
In Malaysia, youth unemployment range isi increasing, and recent reports indicated that workers under the age of 30 comprise up to one third of job losses in 2020.
Nestlé Malaysia said it aims to enhance youth employability through Management Trainee, Internship and Apprenticeship programmes, as well as recruitment via direct hire opportunities.
Chief executive officer Juan Aranols said many Malaysians had been affected by loss of income and unemployment, with young Malaysians particularly impacted by lack of job opportunities.
"Through these programmes, Nestlé strives to help shape a more sustainable future for Malaysian youth and contribute to building the next generation of talent for the nation," he said in a statement today.
He said the company was scaling up its support to youth through management trainee, internship and apprenticeship opportunities.
"On top of equipping youths with relevant skills and enhancing employability, our aim is to ensure that the participants, especially those from the B40 groups, will have a stable source of income to keep afloat during these tough times," he added.
Nestlé Malaysia said the scaling up initiative would be done via online training through its Virtual Internship programme.
It will also continue to provide practical experience through 'readiness for work' events and explore more opportunities by collaborating with like-minded external partners and companies.
This complements ongoing programmes under the Nestlé Needs YOUth global initiative, introduced in 2013 in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to provide employment and talent development opportunities for young people across the world.
In 2019, Nestle Malaysia reached about 60,000 Malaysian youths through various Nestlé Needs YOUth programmes, such as the NESCAFÉ Youth Entrepreneurship Programme, NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL Young Culinary Talents, as well as career fairs and talks, amongst others.
To further support vulnerable communities in Malaysia, Nestlé also pledged to help 200,000 Malaysians in its Covid-19 relief efforts.
The first phase saw Nestlé partnering with the Malaysian Red Crescent society and channeling food donations to front liners and those in need, while the second phase is focused on providing long-term support to B40 and lower income communities.