Problems facing Australian youth in their transitions from school to employment Foreign Studies A 28 April 2015 (Lecture 1) Kris Sullivan 1
What changes can you find? 1 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 2
What are the reasons behind these changes? How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 3
What about young people in neither full time education or full time employment? How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 4
Key Words From the Articles Unemployment Not fully engaged 5
Overview of Today s Lecture Discuss problems facing Australian youth regarding gthe transition from study to work Not fully engaged Discuss & evaluate related government policies 6
Not fully engaged Not in full time employment Not in full time education Not combining part time study & work Not in the labour force In some countries may be referred to as NEET 7
All teenagers (those still at = unemployed school, those who have graduated, and those who dropped out of school.) = unemployed All teenagers who graduated from or dropped out of school in 2011. = unemployed Young adults 20 24. How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians Not in labour force: People who don t want to work, are permanently unable to work, want to work but aren t looking for work, want to work but are not available to start working right now 8
14.5% % of young people who are not fully engaged All teenagers (those still at = unemployed school, those who have graduated, and those who dropped out of school.) 29% = unemployed All teenagers who graduated from or dropped out of school in 2011. 25.2% = unemployed Young adults 20 24. How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians Not in labour force: People who don t want to work, are permanently unable to work, want to work but aren t looking for work, want to work but are not available to start working right now 2 9
Not in the labour force People who don t want to work, are permanently unable to work, want to work but aren t looking for work, want to work but are not available to start working right now 10
Not in labour force: People who don t want to work, are permanently unable to work, want to work but aren t looking for work, want to work but are not available to start working right now How young people are faring 2011, Foundation for Young Australians 11 3
14.5% % of young people who are not fully engaged All teenagers (those still at = unemployed school, those who have graduated, and those who dropped out of school.) 29% = unemployed All teenagers who graduated from or dropped out of school in 2011. 25.2% = unemployed Young adults 20 24. How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians Not in labour force: People who don t want to work, are permanently unable to work, want to work but aren t looking for work, want to work but are not available to start working right now 12 2
Not fully engaged A new problem or an old problem? 13
4 Not fully engaged Changes over time Gender Indicators, Australia, Feb 2015, ABS 4125.0 14
Young people who are not fully engaged Why is it a problem? 15
What will happen to these disengaged youth when they reach their 30s, 40s, 50s? 16
Why do people become not fully engaged? 17
What s the relationship between not being fully engaged and educational background? 18
Not fully engaged Employment X Education Level 5 How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians 19
Government Strategy To reduce the number of youth who are not fully engaged gg Need to keep young people in school for as long as possible Need to make sure that young people have more than just school qualifications How to achieve this?? 20
How to keep people p in school? 21
How to keep people in school? Why do some young people drop out of school? 22
How to keep people in school? Make school useful and interesting for students who aren t interested in traditional academic subjects 23
VET in School 24
VET in School Vocational Education & Training 25
26
How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians 6 27
VET Is VET keeping young people in school?? 28
VET Is VET keeping young people in school?? Maybe for some groups 29
7 Outcomes from Vocational Education and Training in Schools, experimental estimates, Australia, 2006 2011, ABS 4260.0, 2014 30
VET Is VET helping young people be fully engaged?? Maybe for some groups 31
Outcomes from Vocational Education and Training in Schools, experimental estimates, Australia, 2006 2011, ABS 4260.0, 0 2014 8 32
VET Is VET helping young people be fully engaged?? It s difficult to judge 33
Retention Rates = Finishing High School 9 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 34
How to keep people p in school? 35
How to keep people in school? Punish young people if they aren t fully engaged gg How to do this? 36
Learn or Earn (1 July 2009) If you don t finish school If you don t stay fully engaged You and your parents/family cannot receive government benefits 37
Learn or Earn (1 July 2009) If you don t finish school If you don t stay fully engaged You and your parents/family cannot receive government benefits Various forms of government financial assistance for people with low incomes, etc 38
Social Safety Net 39
Learn or Earn (1 July 2009) If you don t finish school If you don t stay fully engaged You and your parents/family cannot receive government benefits Various forms of government financial assistance for people with low incomes, etc 40
2013 Change of government Different ideas about social safety nets 41
New Learn or Earn (from July 1 2015) Compulsory Work for the Dole dole = unemployment benefits People under 30 who have not been previously employed Must work for the dole for 25 hours/week for 6 months and apply for 40 jobs/month BEFORE getting government income benefits After 6 months they can receive government income benefits for 6 months (they must continue applying for 40 jobs/month) They will lose income support for another 6 months if they don t undertake training or study They will lose income support for 8 weeks if they refuse to accept a job 42
How much? Under 25 Youth Allowance: $414.40/fortnight (maximum) 25 and over Newstart: $510.10/fortnight10/f 43
New Learn or Earn (from July 1 2015) Compulsory Work for the Dole dole = unemployment benefits People under 30 who have not been previously employed Must work for the dole for 25 hours/week for 6 months and apply for 40 jobs/month BEFORE getting government income benefits After 6 months they can receive government income benefits for 6 months (they must continue applying for 40 jobs/month) They will lose income support for another 6 months if they don t undertake training or study They will lose income support for 8 weeks if they refuse to accept a job Ensure jobseekers are actually looking for work Making welfare recipients give back to tax payers Individual responsibility 44
(New) Learn or Earn Is it working? Again it s very difficult to know 45
Participation in Higher Education (University, TAFE) 10 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians
Qualifications How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 11 47
(New) Learn or Earn Criticisms It doesn t help those youth who are particulary vulnerable in society 48
(Socio Economic Status) Year 12 Attainment = Graduating from High School (School Grades) 12 How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians 49
Year 12 Attainment = Graduating from High School How young people are faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians 13 50
14 Retention Rates = Finishing High School How young people are faring 2011, Foundation for Young Australians 51
(New) Learn or Earn Criticisms It doesn t help those youth who are particulary vulnerable in society May breach Australia s s human rights obligations 52
Are VET and the new learn or earn enough? 53
Are VET and the new learn or earn enough? Youth Unemployment is still a problem 54
Unemployment rates for young people not in full time education (1986 2012) 15 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 55
Full time employment rates for higher education and VET graduates 16 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 56
Casual Employment & Youth 17 How young people are faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians 57
Because I have no experience, I can t really get into anywhere because you need experience to get a job and you need a job to get experience. (Troy Greelish, 19) 58
It s hard to find work when you don t really know how to get a foot in the door. (James Cipollino, 16) 59
Why don t companies hire young people? 60
Overview 1. Young people who do not finish school are at greater risk of becoming not fully engaged and face possible long term unemployment and/or underemployment The government is trying to make young people stay in school for longer using VET in schools and learn or earn / work kfor the dole But these policies aren t helping everyone 2. Unemployment is still high for young people who have graduated from school, VET, university Lack of work experience and skills are a problem Other strategies are also necessary 61
Selected References Gender Indicators, Australia, Feb 2015, ABS 4125.0 Outcomes from Vocational Education and Training in Schools, experimental estimates, Australia, 2006 2011, ABS 4260.0, 2014 How Young People Are Faring 2013, Foundation for Young Australians http://www.fya.org.au/wp au/wp content/uploads/2013/09/fya_hypaf 2013_Digital1.pdf How Young People Are Faring 2012, Foundation for Young Australians http://www.fya.org.au/wp content/uploads/2012/10/full_digital_hypaf2012.pdf How Young People Are Faring 2011, Foundation for Young Australians http://www.fya.org.au/wp content/uploads/2011/11/fya_hypaf_full_report_pdf.pdf Beyond Learn Or Earn: Young People Tell How Policy Can Better Support Those Who Need It Most, Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, November 2012. http://www.ayac.org.au/learnorearn.html Are young people learning or earning?, ABS Australian Social Trends 4102.0, March 2010 Year 12 Attainment, ABS Australian Social Trends 4102.0, March 2011 Rethinking youth thtransitions in Australia: A historical i and multidimensional i l approach, Hernan Cuervo & Johanna Wyn, March 2011. Underemployment, ABS Australian Social Trends 4102.0, June 2010 The labour market during the recent economic downturns, ABS Australian Social Trends 4102.0, March 2010 Education acrossaustralia, ABSAustralian Australian Social Trends 4102.0, 0 2008 Education & Work: Young People at Risk in the Transition From Education to Work, ABS Australian Social Trends 4102.0, 2005, Compact with Young Australians, Learning or earning: New education and training requirement for 15 24 year olds, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, 2009, http://www.deewr.gov.au/youth/youthattainmentandtransitions/documents/compactfactsheetyo p// / / / / p ung.pdf Young Australians told earn or learn, ABC Lateline, 30/4/2009, http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2008/s2557585.htm How Young People are Faring 2009, Foundation of Young Australians, 2009, http://www.fya.org.au/wp content/uploads/2009/05/fya_hypafreportweb3.pdf 62