Dusseldorp Skills Forum: Resource Details: It's Crunch Time: Raising youth engagement and attainment

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It's Crunch Time: Raising youth engagement and attainment

The Australian Industry Group and DSF believe that Australia has an unprecedented opportunity to make a major assault to improve levels of engagement and attainment for young Australians.

A unique combination of factors - strong economic conditions and growth, Australia's continuing need for a skilled workforce, and the forecast demographic squeeze facing the nation - mean it is now crunch time to open the doors to greater youth engagement in learning. In May 2007 there were 526,000 15 to 24 year olds not in full-time learning or full-time work. Of these approximately 306,000 were unemployed, underemployed or were not in the labour force but wanting to work. Each year approximately 45,000 to 50,000 early school leavers are not going into full-time work or learning or a combination of these. Young Australians without basic educational attainments will not be adequately equiped to cope with the demands being made of them either in the workplace or in the wider society.

There should be simple and clear objectives driving federal and state policy. These are, that subject to their ability, every young person:
1. will attain Year 12, or a vocational equivalent at AQF Certificate III level
2. will be engaged in full-time work or learning, or a combination of these
3. will be provided with the resources, relationships and pathways needed to achieve these outcomes.

This report argues that many of the building blocks are already in place, but we need to do things differently, not just create more pathways and more programs. Ten main reform areas are suggested, along with suggested actions for each of these areas. The paper also highlights the potential role that industry can play, as well as demand-side intermediaries like Group Training organisations.

View the video clips on www.myspace.com/dusseldorpskillsforum

We look forward to your comments and feedback. info@dsf.org.au