Jobs boom a bust for disadvantaged jobseekers in South Australia
With the help of AnglicareSA, Nathan is now working as a casual cashier and grocery stock worker at a local supermarket. But he would like more stable work. He is not alone having difficulty finding work. An Anglicare Australia report has found South Australians who need the most help to find work – early school leavers, those living with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed – are not benefitting from the nation’s current jobs boom. The Anglicare Australia Jobs Availability snapshot, released in December 2022, found 23 South Australians are competing for each entry-level job advertised and that people without qualifications or work experience spend an average of five years looking for work. AnglicareSA Chief Executive Officer Grant Reubenicht said that despite a strong jobs market, disadvantaged job seekers in South Australia – including early school leavers – are not getting a chance. “There needs to be change in not only how we support jobseekers with barriers to work, but in creating real and sustainable pathways for them to access more entry-level jobs, whether that’s through training or supported work placements,” he said. Finding school difficult, at 17, Nathan left school. He had completed Year 10 and was confident he would find a job. After hundreds of job applications and searching for work over five years early school-leaver Nathan finally got a break in 2022.
Early school-leaver Nathan applied for hundreds of jobs over five years
“I was looking for anything,” said the 24-year-old from Adelaide’s southern suburbs. “Shop assistant, warehouse worker, labourer, cleaner – you name it and I’ve applied for it. “The hardest thing was having your mates tell you that you’re obviously not looking hard enough, but it is really difficult to find entry-level work – people just don’t get how hard it is.” Unable to afford rent, Nathan was forced to return home to live with his mum. “I was living terribly,” he said. “If I had to live on my own, I wouldn’t be able to afford rent and food and everything else I need to live.”
In 2022, Nathan, through support from AnglicareSA, gained his Learner’s permit and received employment coaching, including writing cover letters and a resume. He gained casual employment in June and is keen to work more hours in a more permanent role. “Having a job gives you quality of life – it gives you freedom. You can enjoy yourself. Life is much better now.”
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