Prospects improving

Max Whitehead (Weekend Herald, October 8) is correct that pent-up demand from those who postponed their OEs means more young people are leaving. However, I would argue that most are funding the OEs with savings pre and during Covid rather than parents. The Government’s initiatives to increase minimum wage, etc, should make employment more attractive, not the opposite. The labour participation rate has increased slightly from pre-Covid levels, not decreased. Some reasons for the shortage of workers are Covidrelated, which is why the situation is the same worldwide.

Senior workers let go during Covid have taken early retirement. Many young people opted to continue education due to the lack of opportunities during Covid and will return slowly. Industries like hospitality need part-timers for peak meal periods. This workforce will grow as the working holiday, and international student population grows. Many workers in industries hard-hit during Covid, like tourism, moved to more stable industries, and many don’t want to return.

It’s only natural that businesses that downsized during Covid will struggle to attract workers during a period of low unemployment. The workforce will stabilise with immigration and hopefully with increases in our low productivity.

Kushlan Sugathapala, Epsom.