The report - Behind the Figures - a 2021 youth unemployment snapshot by Talent RISE, the charity arm of Talent, the largest independently owned and operated digital recruitment specialist in ANZ - also revealed that across all markets, including Australia and New Zealand::

• 87% of youth are interested in reskilling in tech.
• 85% said mentoring/coaching on finding a job was what they required the most help with.
• 20% of women were interested in tech reskilling compared to 80% of men.
• 25.3% noted COVID-19 as a barrier to employment.

The report outlines findings from conversations with over 450 young people who spoke by phone to Talent and Talent RISE team members on the first annual RISE Day initiative launched on September 3.

Talent RISE cites figures by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that the youth unemployment rate in Australia decreased by 0.5 pts to 10.2% which was 1.4% below the rate at the start of the pandemic.

And in New Zealand, the proportion of people aged 15–24 years (not seasonally adjusted) who were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) fell to 10.8 percent, down from 11.8 percent from the June 2020 quarter.

Talent says these figures remain high and are more than double that of the general population of 4.5% in Australia and 4% in New Zealand, as of August 2021.

Talent RISE’s research also revealed the key things businesses can start doing to help young people seeking meaningful employment., including:

• Offering feedback to unsuccessful job applicants.
• Reassessing the hiring process and exclusivity of roles.
• Considering the migrant talent pool for open positions.
• Removing barriers to tech roles by making them more accessible for young people.
• Providing training and work experience opportunities to young women to create greater gender diversity in tech.
  

Karen Graham, Talent RISE CEO ANZ said understanding and listening to what young people are going through is key to helping stamp out issues.

“The challenges of the last two years have had a huge impact on us all but have been felt most severely by our young people who have experienced significant education disruption, job losses and mental health challenges.

“Listening to young people, showing empathy, and providing hope is key as we move forward, as is looking for practical ways those of us in positions of influence can make a difference.”

Richard Earl, Talent Non-Executive Director & Global Chairman of Talent RISE is passionate about raising awareness of these issues.

“It is our duty as business leaders to make a conscious effort in helping fight youth unemployment. The facts are there, young people having been going through extremely hard times for the past 18 months.

“Creating a safe haven for these young people to share their stories and feel supported is what we wanted to achieve with RISE Day, and to show businesses what they can do to help fix these problems.

“We need to listen to these people, understand their stories, and show some empathy. Wherever possible we need to provide some form of life changing employment opportunity.”

Talent Global CEO, Mark Nielsen, commented on the findings. “Listening, offering support, and helping young people find meaningful work is crucial in helping fight the youth unemployment battle.

“COVID-19 has well and truly impacted the lives of people around the globe with youth bearing the brunt of it. The data throughout this report helps to shed a light on what young people are going through and how we, as businesses, can help them. We need to start making change for the better and help the younger generations entering the workforce.”