As Christmas draws near, Megan from Workskills Tasmania unwraps the story behind Troublesmiths, an innovative program and retail outlet that’s helping young Tasmanians build job-ready skills for a brighter future.

Tell us a bit about Troublesmiths. Troublesmiths is a unique retail business that offers hands-on job readiness training for young Tasmanians. We have supported 325 young people to achieve their goals, and provided over 75,000 hours of work experience. 75% of our participants go on to employment or education, and 65% experience an increase in confidence. Our team creates, makes and sells a range of quality body products and homewares in our shop at 20 Watchorn Street, Hobart. We recognise and nurture the brilliance in young people, equipping them with the tools and experiences they need to thrive in both work and life.

What types of support are important for setting young people up for success at work? Intentional one-on-one mentoring and coaching, regular feedback and clear expectations, linking work to personal goals and skill development are all important. A focus on wellbeing and ‘soft skill’ development, how we are showing up and ‘being’ in the workplace, is just as important as the tasks we are doing.

What advice would you give to employers about how to recruit and retain young people? Focus on potential and transferrable skills, over formal qualifications and experience. Many entry-level jobs unnecessarily require formal qualifications, when the skills needed could be gained through on-the-job training. Interviews tend to favour those who are confident, articulate, and familiar with corporate environments. Young people certainly have the skills to nail an interview, but they’re still honing those skills and interviews can often fail to recognise soft skills, creativity, and potential. Retaining young people in the workplace has a lot to do with authentic and compassionate leadership.

Prioritising mentorship and allowing young staff members to feel in on things and actively involved in decision making. Flexible working arrangements, which is simply having consideration for people’s personal circumstances, as best you can. A factor that can be overlooked, and is perhaps the most important, is culture. A culture of connectedness, having a laugh and memory-making. ‘Play’ and lightness at work isn’t a fluffy concept, it’s crucial for all of us, and creates genuine relationships. Culture and work mates keep people happily in jobs for years, so don’t overlook that.

How can our readers support Troublesmiths? Your community can support Troublesmiths by either visiting our store, or purchasing our products at troublesmiths.com.au. In doing so, you’re directly contributing to the growth, confidence, and wellbeing of Tasmania’s next generation. We have just launched our Brighter Days Packs, which are a carefully curated series of hampers for those ‘hard to buy for’ people, and those who value socially responsible gifting for Christmas.