Melbourne’s western suburbs are in the middle of a youth unemployment crisis, but the state government says it’ll soon be over.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has the state’s youth unemployment rate sitting at 13.9 per cent, while statistics released by the commonwealth’s Department of Employment has Melbourne’s west sitting at 18 per cent.
The average unemployment rate for the state for the whole workforce is 6.1 per cent, while Wyndham’s is 6.9 per cent.
A state government spokesperson said the economy is growing quickly, with 118,500 jobs created last year, but acknowledged the benefits are not being shared evenly and youth unemployment in some areas was still too high.
A new technical school, which is expected to open mid next year, should provide skills that will lead to employment, the spokesperson said.
“[It will allow] students to get hands-on technical training while they continue their studies.
“Investments like the $100 million new cold storage facility and headquarters that NewCold is developing in Truganina and the $80 million storage and distribution centre recently opened by Dutch logistics giant CEVA [will also create more employment].”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas pointed to a partnership between three western suburbs employment providers as another way to combat youth unemployment.
The program, named west@work, is the work of Westgate Community Initiatives Group, Djerriwarrh Community and Education Services and Wyndham Community and Education Centre.
Of the 130 participants in the program, 42 have already found work. It aims to get 200 people into jobs.
