Talent RISE and Hyatt Hotels Corporation have announced a partnership to create job opportunities for young people experiencing barriers to employment.

Hyatt Regency Sydney nominated Talent RISE for the 2019 Hyatt Community Grant (issued annually) and were thrilled that they were selected as a deserving recipient, resulting in Talent RISE receiving a grant for $57,000 AUD late last year.

Talent RISE is the charity arm of Talent International that offers education, training, work readiness programs and job placement opportunities for young people who experience challenging barriers to employment. The Hyatt grant is designed to enable the work of Talent RISE and assist them to place young people who are NEET (not in employment, education or training) into careers at Hyatt Hotels.

This announcement follows four years of collaboration between the two organisations, which has already seen 14 young people placed into roles at Hyatt Hotels in both Sydney and Melbourne.

Talent and Talent RISE Founder and Chairman Richard Earl said the support from Hyatt will have a significant impact on the charity’s young people, and the broader community.

“More than 40 percent of the world’s young people are either unemployed or living in poverty. Both Hyatt and Talent RISE recognise the challenges young people face and are committed to being part of the solution. The support we have received from Hyatt and their continued commitment to provide employment opportunities for our young people will have a huge impact on their lives.”

“Hyatt is a company that was built by family. Care is at the heart of our business, for employees, guests and our communities”, said Lee Mulholland, Director of Human Resources at Hyatt Regency Sydney.

“Collaborating with initiatives such as Talent RISE ensures that this ethos of care filters beyond our properties and helps foster the progression of young people who may one day work at a Hyatt property or within our industry. By building strong communities and fostering sustainable practices, we’re working to create an environment in which people thrive. Working with Talent RISE gives us the opportunity to grow with purpose and protect our environment and workforce for generations to come.” 

Talent RISE Manager Amy Bagatella said that the impact of securing employment is immeasurable for young people in difficult circumstances.

“Employment is so important for a young person, it’s not just a job; it’s food, it’s clothing, it’s safe housing, it’s connections, it’s self-worth, friendships, respect and community. We are committed to helping young people prepare for the workforce, but we are also proud to work with organisations like Hyatt that benefit from the diversity in experience and knowledge they bring.”

Two of the young people who have already secured roles at Hyatt through RISE, Brysan Bushell and Andrew Liras, have reflected on what the opportunity means to them:

“Before being a part of the Talent RISE family, looking for a job was next to impossible. However, after my first meeting with the team, I was immediately taken care of. They supported me into an open position at Hyatt Regency Sydney which was amazing. It’s been almost a year since I started at Hyatt and I’m loving it every day. I’ve gained an incredible amount of experience being a part of the team, with countless opportunities to learn new things and acquire skills that even help me in life outside of my job,” Brysan shared.

“The opportunity that was given to me to work at Hyatt has been an amazing and character building experience and I’ve loved it. Talent RISE has been more than a huge help, they supported me so much with interview skills, building a decent resume, presentation, setting up the interview and everything in-between to help make sure I got the job. I appreciate so much the opportunity that was given to me,” Andrew said.

To date, Talent RISE has engaged more than 3,000 young people through workshops and mentoring and successfully placed over 250 into meaningful employment.

To celebrate the partnership, Talent RISE, Hyatt Regency Sydney staff and a collection of Talent RISE benefactors came together at an intimate event at Jackalberry Bar at Hyatt Regency Sydney on 12 March, 2020.