By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A new focus on fighting “atrocious” youth unemployment statistics has launched in Geelong.
Geelong Region Local Learning and Employment Network (GRLLEN) this week unveiled a new website linking young jobseekers with potential employers in a bid to attack the region’s high youth unemployment rate.
GRLLEN’s Anne-Marie Ryan said Geelong’s youth unemployment averaged 16.9 per cent but was as high as 24 per cent in some areas.
“That’s an atrocious statistic,” Ms Ryan said.
She blamed the figures on low Year 12 attainment rates and only 50 per cent of students completing university courses or apprenticeships.
“Many young people who left school but did not have a job or course to study are sitting at home with false expectations of what the job market is like,” Ms Ryan said.
Geelong was13th in the top 20 youth unemployment hotspots in a Brotherhood of St Laurence report in March.
The report said Geelong had the second highest youth unemployment rate in Victoria after Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Ms Ryan said a regional snapshot showed high levels of youth unemployment were endemic to the Geelong region and continued to rise.
At the same time the overall participation rate for Geelong has dropped to 54.8 per cent compared to 64.4 per cent for Victoria, she said.
Ms Ryan believed that current youth unemployment figures understated reality because many young people had given up looking for work, so they were not included in statistics.
“Job creation is lagging behind population growth and is being offset by retrenchments.”
The new website, experienceforworkforyoungpeople.com.au, focused on retaining students in school and motivating them to attain Year 12, Ms Ryan said.
Eighty employers were on board so far but worringly 175 had declined, she said.
“We have 194 placements so far but we’d love for more employers to join with us.”
The website operates in conjunction with geelongcareers.org.au and with the supported of 24 regional secondary schools.
Ms Ryan said more information was available by phoning GRLLEN project manager Robyn Dolheguy on 0448 883 534.
