On and on they go, our business leaders, survey specialists, politicians – you name it – on the subject of employment difficulties in the city for our young people.
A year long study has suggested youth unemployment is heavily weighted where people live, but there’s still no getting away from the fact the Illawarra has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in the land, the 19 – 24 age group as high as 22.2 per cent.
Other reasons put forward include lack of transport, housing, education and income support.
There are also rightful concerns about the poor school retention rate.
The Minister for the Illawarra David Campbell told a recent meeting held to hear the outcome of the survey that it’s up to employers to find and offer jobs.
After all, he said, his government has given them a 30 per cent reduction in workers compensation premiums and also a reduction in payroll tax.
It was only right that the President of the Illawarra Business Chamber Les Dion had a responsive backhander reminding Mr Campbell that employee bodies have been fighting for years for such assistance.
And yet, while we hear all this I’m also told that many companies out there are screaming out for skilled labour. That’s why so many retired steelworkers are being sought after and almost asking their own price to return to the workforce.
Why is there a skills shortage? Could it be that employers in recent years have walked away from apprenticeships and traineeships, and are now copping it in the neck?
Which is somewhat in contrast to what I hear about BlueScope Steel and what is believed to be a splendid cadet, trainee and apprenticeship “breeding ground” which enables young people to apply for these positions.
They are evidently graded according to their perceived ability and either get an employment chance or are offered to other agencies as definite work prospects in the field of their choice.
It has even been suggested to me more discipline needs to be imposed on the younger generation and this should start in the schools.
Bringing back a form of national service might be part of the answer. I never met anyone who did “natio” who didn’t benefit from the discipline and the opportunity of meeting others of their age and being able to compare jobs and what they wanted to do with their lives.
Certainly there is a lack of discipline as the younger folk head towards possible employment time. There is also something missing in the advice they might be receiving on where to go to discuss a possible future, and then how to go about it.
And yet, funnily enough, most of the teenagers and early 20’s I come across have work. Some even have as many as three jobs.
Does this mean their parents have instilled them with a work ethic at the right time in life?
There’s no doubting the whole question is a major problem in our society.
Your Opinion Counts. Click Here >>>> Bad luck girls
Sad to see but those young girls who have been playing competitive Aussie Rules for the Western Kangaroos down Figtree way seem to have lost their battle to continue on in the game.
It has certainly been a talking point and will, I have no doubt, not go quietly away.
Unfortunately, if they are hoping for any support from AFL boss Andrew Demetriou I don’t see any likelihood of this happening.
Demetriou is something of a law until himself and like his NRL counterpart David Gallop might have to be given a sideways shove.
Your Opinion Counts. Click Here >>>> What next?
So now there’s a Federal Government report doing the rounds that says we are in danger of being binge drinkers if we consume four middies of beer or three glasses of wine each day, or at times when we have a jar or two.
Surely, there are more pressing matters to occupy their attention? The price of petrol and food costs are just two that come to mind.
Next they’ll be telling us what we should eat!!
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