Anglicare Australia is today releasing its Jobs Availability Snapshot to reveal 23 South Australians are competing for every entry-level job advertised in the state – the highest rate in mainland Australia.
The Jobs Availability Snapshot shows that for every entry-level job advertised in SA – there are 20 people with higher-level work qualifications and/or experience competing for that job vacancy. *
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.
“Not only is there not enough entry-level work to meet demand, there are also more overqualified people taking on entry-level jobs as a second or third job during an unprecedented cost of living crisis,” said Mr Reubenicht.
The Snapshot measures how many entry-level jobs are available for disadvantaged job seekers – people with disabilities, those who don’t have qualifications or work experience, and the long-term unemployed. It found that:
- 23 South Australians competed for every entry-level job advertised in SA compared to 15 job seekers nationally.
- For every entry-level job advertised in SA – three of the 23 applicants have the entry level qualifications and/or experience required for the job. The rest are over-qualified.
- Unemployment is going down, but the number of people with barriers to work has not budged.
- There are more than 105,000 South Australians underemployed (SA has the second highest underemployment rate under Tasmania).
- People with barriers to employment spend an average five years and 11 months looking for work.
“We might be in the midst of a jobs boom, but South Australians who need the most help to find work – early school leavers, those with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed – are not benefitting from this labour force recovery,” said Mr Reubenicht.
“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.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said the employment services system needed to be overhauled to help people with work barriers, especially those who have been out of work long-term.
“We need to create entry-level opportunities for people in growing industries – like aged and disability care,” said Ms Chambers.
“The Government is already reviewing the system. That’s a good start. Our hope is that they will work with us to build a system that helps people, instead of leaving them behind.”
To access the report in full visit HERE.
AnglicareSA CEO Grant Reubenicht is available for interview.
*The Jobs Availability Snapshot uses sample data for the month of June 2022 and data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics monthly Labour Force data and the Department of Social Services.