YAPA media release: 3 August 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
Young people want in
on the solutions to the skills shortage
Young people have demonstrated a clear desire to be trained to help themselves and the skills shortage in a major report released by the peak body for young people in NSW, the Youth Action and Policy Association.
Over 380 young people were surveyed, ranging from 12 to 25 years of age. In the report young people outlined some important issues for the governments of Australia to consider:
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School bases apprenticeships and the removal of TAFE fees in areas of skills shortages were the most favoured initiatives to increase skills and training
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Apprenticeships and traineeships were viewed positively, but the low rate of pay was a problem compared to higher casual wages
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To help young people finish apprenticeships, a cash bonus at completion, shorter duration to full qualification and a guaranteed job at completion were preferable to participants
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Unemployed young people did not want to be jobless and showed a strong preference for skills and training to help them back into work
“If the Federal Government listened to young people, they would put their money into TAFE and making apprenticeships more competitive for young people,” said Association Policy Officer, John Ferguson, “Is there little wonder that we're in a skills shortage when young people can earn more at a take away shop than training as an apprentice.”
The Howard Government has skills vouchers for people over 25, but very little for young people. They are building new training colleges rather than funding the TAFE campuses that are already there.
The report also challenged the ill-informed perceptions of jobless young people. The report found that over 80% of unemployed wanted to work and were willing to be trained to help them get into the workforce.
“Young people who were unemployed said that access to skills and training had been the main motivator to get them back into work, not simply the threat of losing their payments” said John Ferguson, “the young people made it clear that you can't have obligation without opportunity.”
The report goes against the simple notion that people should take any job.
“Participants clearly said that they wanted to work, but the biggest barrier was not having the skills or training that the job needed,” said John Ferguson, “forcing a young person into work when they are unskilled is not good for the young person nor the employer.”
Copies of the report
www.yapa.org.au/yapa/policy/skilling.pdf (340 KB PDF)
Media contact
John Ferguson
0408 026 938
