Anglicare Australia launches Jobs Availability Snapshot: up to 106 jobseekers for each entry-level job
National
Disadvantaged jobseekers are competing with more people for fewer jobs, according to Anglicare Australia’s Jobs Availability Snapshot. The Snapshot looks at people who experience barriers to work
Disadvantaged jobseekers are competing with more people for fewer jobs, according to Anglicare Australia’s Jobs Availability Snapshot.
The Snapshot looks at people who have barriers to work. They could be older workers who lost their jobs later in life, people who didn’t finish Year 12, or people living with disability. It found that:
- Eight of these jobseekers are competing for each entry-level job. In some parts of the country that number is as high as 20 – and this assumes those jobseekers are competing only with each other.
- If all jobseekers are included, there are a staggering 106 jobseekers for each entry-level job.
- Many of the jobseekers we look at in our Snapshot have been left out of the JobMaker scheme.
- On top of that, 1.63 million people are now underemployed. They could also be competing for these jobs.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said that more people are competing for fewer entry-level jobs:
“In this downturn, people who need the most help to find work are being left behind. Our research shows that eight of these jobseekers are competing for each entry-level job,” Ms Chambers said.
“There aren’t enough jobs at their skill level to meet demand in any part of the country. The situation is toughest in SA and Tasmania. In SA, 10 of these jobseekers are competing for each suitable job. And in Tasmania, a staggering 20 jobseekers are competing for each one of these jobs.
“This doesn’t include people with more skills and experience, who are also competing for this work in the wake of job losses. In total, there are a staggering 106 jobseekers for each entry-level job.”
Ms Chambers said that the system was failing those who need help.
“Many of the jobseekers we’re looking at are older people who have been left out of the JobMaker scheme,” she said.
“They’re facing cuts to their payments, and they’re being forced to jump through hoops and apply for jobs. But our research shows the jobs just aren’t there.
“If we’re serious about helping people, we need to create jobs that match their skills – instead of forcing them to compete for jobs that just aren’t there.
“We need to abolish Jobactive, which simply isn’t helping people find work. Instead private providers are paid to punish and breach people.
“And we need to stop cuts to the JobSeeker payment. Record numbers of people are out of work. They shouldn’t be trapped in poverty while they get their lives together.
“These changes are urgent. If we don’t fix this broken system, we will go on forcing people to compete for jobs that simply don’t exist.”
Read the full 2020 Anglicare Australia’s Jobs Availability Snapshot.
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