Tough market: One entry-level job for every five candidates

Breaking into the workforce is hard going for disadvantaged workers according to a new report from Anglicare Australia which revealed there are five candidates for every entry-level job advertised.

The Job Availability Snapshot 2017 highlighted “a steady decline in the number of Level 5 job vacancies” in the last seven years, to the point where they make up just 15 per cent of advertised jobs. The reduction in entry-level roles is problematic because not only does it mean people with barriers to work are competing with each other for positions, but also with a growing number of university graduates who struggle to find jobs after leaving the tertiary system.

The basis of building a career has always been getting your foot in the door, but even that is harder now than ever. Even graduates with CVs filled to the brim with internships and work experience aren’t guaranteed to score an interview, let alone a full-time position.

The situation is especially poor in Tasmania, where there are nearly 10 applicants for every advertised entry-level position. South Australia doesn’t fare much better, where there are 7.5 jobseekers for the same types of roles.

Among the demographics that are disadvantaged are young people who haven’t completed Year 12, the disabled, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and older workers. The job seeking process is made even more difficult by the ongoing casualisation of the workforce, with full-time employment less common than in the past.

A major focus of the report was the government’s propensity to deem that the inability to find work is the sole fault of the jobseeker. Anglicare suggest a transition from this style of blame to a funding strategy that emphasises inclusive employment.

There is a silver lining for those looking to break into the health industry. The implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is expected to generate around 70,000 new jobs, many of which will be entry-level positions, across a range of metropolitan, rural and remote locations.

The Anglicare report is urging government intervention but in the meantime, jobseekers should be prepared for stiff competition for work of all types.