Final-term students urged to apply for apprenticeships as skill shortages
With the under-19 unemployment rate at nearly 18 per cent whilst employers are
signalling skills shortages, it is vital that young people avoid unemployment by upskilling,
according to national jobs agency PVS Workfind.
Students returning to school for their final term who don’t want to go on to tertiary study
should beat the end-of-year rush to sign up to a jobs agency, said Therese Mulherin,
CEO, PVS Workfind.
“Thousands of students returning to school this week or next for their last term know they
want to enter the workforce in 2011,” said Mulherin. “But they face a youth
unemployment rate that remains stubbornly high, in contrast to falling overall
unemployment.
“Securing an apprenticeship or traineeship where they continue to learn while working
is a great way to start a career,” said Mulherin. “To maximise their chances in a
competitive field, we recommend these students begin the conversation about
becoming an apprentice with a job agency now, rather than at the end of the school
year.
“We can start the process of matching the young person’s interests and talents with an
employer who is willing to offer them an apprenticeship or traineeship opportunity
when school finishes,” said Mulherin.
The unemployment job seeker market remains finely balanced, according to the latest
data from PVS Workfind.
Commencements (job seekers who registered with PVS for employment assistance)
rose by 8 per cent in September, after a rise of 14 per cent in August.
However, the rise in new registrations has been mostly offset by a 4 percent growth in
job placements in September, after rising 19 per cent in August.
“By and large, the unemployed job seeker market has steadily improved over 2010,
reflecting the drop in the headline unemployment rate,” said Mulherin. “We expect
further improvements in coming months.”
Prospects for job-seekers are expected to be further bolstered in the run-up to
Christmas, when there is traditionally growth in unskilled and semi-skilled roles,
according to Mulherin.
“The number of people unemployed for more than 12 months jumped nearly 100,000
since November 2008,” said Mulherin. “These candidates often find it harder to get
back into the workforce, due to issues of confidence and perceptions of employability.
“I’m confident that the assistance and training we provide to the longer-term
unemployed will see many of them return to the workforce.”
Media enquiries:
Tim Whittaker
Keep Left PR
T: 03 9510 3910 Mob: 0433 170 815
Email: tim@keepleftpr.com.au
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