The 18-year-olds are some of the 207 young people who have gained employment or traineeships as part of Westvic Staffing Solutions' 200 Jobs in 100 Days campaign which ended on March 9. 

The teens, from Panmure, are completing a Certificate III in Business, and working in administration at South West TAFE.

Kiara and Laura are having a gap year before they head off to study Exercise and Sports Science at Federation University next year. 

"We started (the traineeship) in January and everyone's so nice and welcoming and helpful," Kiara said. "I couldn't have dreamed for anything better than this. It's a good way to do something with your gap year and get something out of it."

Kiara said the certificate gave her the confidence to go on to study physiotherapy and hopefully run her own business in the future.

"I know that a high percentage of physios are in private practice and to have knowledge about business would be handy.

"Doing the Cert III in Business helps you to know a bit more about tertiary study and what it entails, how much study you have to do, as well as working. It's about balancing, that's always the hardest part." 

Kiara said support from Westvic Staffing Solutions in gaining the traineeship had been "absolutely phenomenal."

Laura's administration role is in the SW TAFE health and community services department, an area she said interested her. 

"It's a really good place to work," Laura said. "I don't think I could have asked for a better group of people to work with. They're the most supportive people and anytime you have a problem you ask them and they give you the solution."

Laura and her twin sister are working alongside two other trainees at South West TAFE who completed year 12 at Warrnambool College with them last year.

"We knew each other and we get along," Laura said. "It's making studying for the certificate so much easier because we get to bounce ideas off each other. Because we've already worked together at school, it's made it so much easier because you have that other support system as well.

"It's a lot of work but it's a good way to start learning outside of high school," Laura said. "Our teacher is there if we have any questions, it's really good." 

She said they also had excellent support from Westvic Staffing Solutions. "It was easy being able to speak to one person and get the answers that you need," Laura said. "It's an amazing set up they've got there, to be able to give you career advice and help you work out what your next step will be."

Laura said she would "100 per cent recommend a traineeship". "You get that job experience that's going to be beneficial. It's going to set us up for uni and going to do that real hard slog. It's an easier way to transition into that."

Westvic Staffing Solutions apprenticeship employment network operations manager Brendan Hawkins said it was a great outcome for all involved.  

"To have a set of twins employed at the same time, in the same qualification with the same host employer, is very unique," Mr Hawkins said. 

"Both girls went through the recruitment and interview process and were successful. I've been here 15 years and I can't remember employing twins. As it turned out they were the two that were best suited for those positions." 

Oscar Sanderson, 18, from Koroit, is another successful applicant who registered with Westvic, gaining employment at the new Jax Tyres store in Warrnambool.

Oscar is completing a Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology and is working at the store which opened at the start of March. 

"I've always wanted to do something with motors, with a heavy vehicle or general," Oscar said. "It's always good to get out and money in your back pocket. It's good to have an idea of the career you want to get into and strive to get that."

Oscar said it was good to see the new store come to fruition. "I'm enjoying it," Oscar said. "It's pretty exciting to see all the different vehicles come in and work on them. It's good."

Westvic Staffing Solutions chief executive Dean Luciani said he wanted to "wholeheartedly congratulate the community on another great effort" after meeting the jobs target for the fourth consecutive year.

"We're very, very pleased," Mr Luciani said of the 207 jobs and traineeships that had been created since November, for the region's young people as part of the annual campaign. 

"I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the business community and congratulations to the entire region. There's absolutely no doubt this campaign has made an impact on youth unemployment."

Mr Luciani said the Warrnambool area's youth unemployment rate was around 7.5 per cent, about half of what it was four years ago, while other Victorian regions hovered around 19 per cent. "If you look at the Shepparton/Bendigo region it's at 16.1-16.2 per cent and north-west Victoria is about 17.5, ours is pretty good."

He said while this year's campaign had finished, Westvic's job hadn't. 

"We've still got a number of vacancies that we're keen to fill," Mr Luciani said. "I'd encourage anyone who's out there looking for work to make contact with Westvic Staffing Solutions and we'll do everything we possibly can to assist."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.