Boom brings youth jobs

City’s unemployement rate dropping

GEELONG’S youth unemployment rate in the past year has been one of the lowest among Australia’s 21 largest cities, Federal Government data shows.

During the past 12 months the city’s unemployment rate — for those aged between 15 and 24 — has averaged 9.49 per cent, compared to 11.9 per cent across Australia’s 21 largest cities.

In the past year Geelong’s average youth unemployment rate has been significantly lower than Townsville’s 22.4 per cent and Melbourne’s 14.3 per cent, and is one of the lowest in regional Australia.

City of Greater Geelong investment and attraction director Brett Luxford said the growth of the region’s economy was maintaining low youth unemployment.

“The growth in Geelong is providing opportunities for a range of people. We see opportunities arising in a range of different sectors including construction and hospitality,” Mr Luxford said.

“As our population grows ... our emerging technology sector and advanced manufacturing sector will create more opportunities.”

In March 2014 the youth unemployment rate sat at more than 22 per cent across the City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe, Surf Coast Shire and the majority of Golden Plains Shire.

It dropped to less than 7 per cent in July last year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The rate across the region has been below the national figure since March last year but has slowly risen since August to 10.8 per cent in October. Geelong’s general unemployment rate is 5.66 per cent while indigenous unemployment sits at 11.7 per cent of a total indigenous population of about 2530.

Despite Greater Geelong’s success, unemployment in Corio and Norlane rose from 17.9 per cent in the June quarter to 18.4 per cent in the September quarter.

Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bernadette Uzelac said reducing youth unemployment in Corio, Norlane and Whittington remained a priority for the city.

“Whilst the youth unemployment statistic for Geelong is good overall, we need to drill beneath the surface to look at the workforce participation rate and whether some young people may have simply opted out of looking for work,” Ms Uzelac said.

“We all want to see young people getting a start in the workforce and contributing to a healthy and diverse business community.

“We will continue to assist businesses by linking them with programs that ultimately lead to jobs for young people in our region, generating significant long-term socio-economic benefits.”