CONCERNS ABOUT APPRENTICES AND YOUTH JOB SEEKERS
“The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP is concerned about constituents’ job prospects in the Government’s announcement last night regarding apprentices and youth job seekers.
“Whilst incentives to help keep apprentices in jobs are welcome, spending $155 million over three years, which is only 0.37 per cent of the $42 billion cash splash, demonstrates how low a priority keeping apprentices in work is for the Rudd Labor Government?" Philip Ruddock said.
“Labor has also missed an opportunity to announce specific initiatives to help combat rising evels of youth unemployment. Youth are particularly hard hit in times of economic downturn and it is vital that the Rudd Labor Government puts forward practical ideas to help combat youth unemployment.
“This would have been an ideal opportunity for the Labor Government to announce changes to their proposed replacement for the Job Network, which is due to be rolled out
from the 1st July.
“The new model needs to offer early intervention for job seekers, to help reduce the duration of unemployment. But Labor is yet to address the concerns of employment service providers and community groups.
“Under the proposed model 61% of the newly unemployed will receive nothing more than help writing a résumé and an overview of their local labour market in the first three months of their unemployment,” Philip Ruddock said.