With youth unemployment at its highest rate in WA in 21 years there’s never been a more crucial time for businesses to step up and address the issue head on.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures show youth unemployment in WA was at 16.7 per cent.
This includes young people aged 15-24 years and is higher than the national rate, which sat at 13.3 per cent in February.
It is also larger than WA’s total unemployment rate at six per cent.
Apprenticeship Support Australia Manager Lena Constantine said businesses can help address the issue.
“Employers can offer young people an opportunity to join their businesses through employing them as an apprentice or trainee,” she said.
“Apprenticeships and traineeships are great tools to employ people.
“Young people can enter the workforce and be supported through nationally accredited training while they learn the ropes of a new role.
“Working together with Apprenticeship Support Australia, our team can provide advice and guidance on how employers can utilise apprenticeships and traineeships in their business and how to access government incentives, wage subsidies, and on-going mentoring support for apprentices and trainees, to make the process easy.”