The number of young jobseekers asking for help from a leading western suburbs employment agency has increased 8 per cent in the past two years.
WISE Employment regional business manager Peter Gallagher said there had been a surge in the number of jobseekers aged 15-24 coming into western suburbs offices, including Melton, Wyndham and Newport.
His comments came as the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL) launched a campaign to address youth unemployment nationally.
January figures for Melbourne’s west – including Melton, Wyndham, Brimbank and Bacchus Marsh – showed 13.6 per cent of residents aged 15-24 were unemployed.
Across Victoria, only the Hume region (17.5 per cent) and Melbourne’s north-west (14.8 per cent), which includes Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges, had higher youth unemployment. BSL wants a national ‘‘youth transitions’’ service focused on teaching “employability” skills, work experience, coaching and vocational guidance.
“The BSL is currently trialing a youth transitions service in the most disadvantaged areas of Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs,” a BSL report stated. “Our early evaluations indicate that, of those who participate in our training program, 70 per cent are successfully moving into work and/or further learning.”
Mr Gallagher said WISE took a tailored approach.
“We ensure that every young person who asks for assistance is provided with the appropriate training if they need it, to enable us to match local skills to local jobs.
“We provide ongoing tailored support to help young jobseekers, not just to find the right employment opportunity but to stick with it.’’
