New Research Confirms Youth Aren't Thriving

Apprenticeship Support Australia

New research by Skillsroad, Australia's leading youth and careers platform, has found that our young people are not
flourishing like they should, in fact they're just doing ok. The data suggests that average levels of wellbeing are not
only affecting our youth but also the bottom line of Australian businesses.

Commissioned by Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) the Skillsroad 2017 Youth Census nationally surveyed
13,227 young Australians between the ages of 15-24. Undertaken specifically to identify the concerns and issues
affecting our youth when it comes to their transition from school to work, and to address the current concerns of
employers who are struggling to attract and retain young staff, despite soaring youth unemployment.

The census links average levels of wellbeing to high job turnover, the national skills shortage, increasing university
and vocational dropout rates, and a myriad of employment issues.

"The fact that young people are ranking pay as the most important consideration when applying for a job shows that
young people are likely to prioritise money over career paths that they're genuinely passionate about, increasing the
chances of them ending up in a career they don't enjoy and impacting their confidence and resilience. Given, when
an employee resigns, it can cost as much as 400 per cent of their salary, the cost of churn is a heavy burden for
many companies," explains Darren Cocks, ASA's, Managing Director.

"Pursuing careers that are intrinsically important to young people is far more likely to result in engaged staff who
enjoy their work, have fewer sick days, benefit from higher levels of wellbeing and are therefore more likely to stay
longer," says Mr Cocks.

The census confirmed that parents possess a huge amount of power in shaping the careers of young people as they
were ranked the most likely person to turn to for career advice.

"We need to supply parents with information and tools so that career conversations are positive, un-biased and
comprehensive. These conversations need to happen early and present youth with all the options so they have the
best chance of choosing the path that suits them, makes them happy"minimising the risk of a false start"and
increases wellbeing.

"As a community we need to be mindful we are not pushing any one career pathway"whether it's because of a lack
of resources or a misguided belief that one tertiary system is better than the other"we need to encourage young
people to find out what truly interests them and plays to their strengths" says Mr Cocks.

52.3 per cent of young people still at school are planning to attend university, despite fears of financial hardship for
some and a lack of jobs in some sectors after graduation. Only 15.8 per cent are considering VET pathways"
including apprenticeships and traineeships"despite VET graduates being more likely to be in employment post
completion than university graduates.

"We need to enable young people to make informed career choices by making a greater investment in educating
students on all career pathways, their suitability to these, and how and where to pursue them to improve
productivity and reduce employee turnover."

Apprenticeship Support Australia and Skillsroad are supported by the Business Chamber Movement in Australia;

representing the interests of over 300,000 businesses.

With more than 150,000 members Skillsroad.com.au is considered one of Australia's leading independent
careers advice and youth employment platforms. To download the full Skillsroad 2017 Youth Census visit
Skillsroad.com.au.