1. Monash University – ACER CENTRE FOR THE ECONOMICS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING Training and employment participation Youth Michael Long CEET’s 10 th Annual Conference Australian education and training: new policies 3 November 2006 Ascot House, Ascot Vale, Melbourne

2. Two points:  The ageing of the population ♦ More young people are likely to be entering the workforce in the coming decades ♦ Young people will decline only slightly as a proportion of the core working-age population  The under-employment of Australia’s youth ♦ The percent of youth not fully engaged in work or study has changed little in the last decade or so ♦ Many young people not in full-time study are unemployed or under- employed

3. More 19 year-olds will be entering the workforce in the coming decade ABS, Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australia, Table 9, 3201.0; and ABS, Population projections by age and sex, Australia, Table A9, 3222.0.

4. Youth will decline only slightly as a proportion of the working-age pop’n ABS, Estimated resident population by single year of age, Australia, Table 9, 3201.0; and ABS, Population projections by age and sex, Australia, Table A9, 3222.0.

5. The proportion not fully engaged has changed little in the last decade or so ABS, Labour force Australia, 6291.0.55.001—LM3 ABS, Labour force, Australia 6291.0.55.001—Table 03b

6. In 2006 many young people were unemployed or under-employed ■ 337,500 20-24 year-olds not in full-time study or work (23%) ♦ 152,700 in part-time work (10.5%) ♦ 46% want more hours of work ♦ 64,000 unemployed (4.4%) ♦ 89% want a full-time job ♦ 122,200 not in the labour force (8.4%) ♦ 45% are marginally attached ■ About 13% of 20 to 24 year-olds not studying full-time and underemployed or unemployed ABS, Labour force Australia, 6291.0.55.001—LM3. Customised tables from Labour force Australia & various supplementary surveys. Some values refer to 2005 and different scopes. See HYPAF for details.

7. Comments 1.Young people remain an important source of new entrants to the workforce. 2.Reforms to school transition arrangements, initial post-school education and early work experience remain important. 3.The labour market has moved against full- time employment. 4.Young Australians are an under-utilised (and under-developed?) resource.

8. Thank you  ‘How Young People are Faring’, 2006 (HYPAF06)  Dusseldorp Skills Forum (DSF) www.dsf.org.au  Also www.education.monash.edu.au/centres/ceet