Final-term Students Urged To Apply For Apprenticeships As Skill Shortages

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6th October 2010, 08:35pm - Views: 1071





People Employment PVS Workfind 1 image

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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