Educational Pathways: Or Tracks That Lead Nowhere? CRLRA Discussion Paper Series.

Changes in the nature of work have resulted in a significant loss of employment opportunities for Australian youths. Since the 1980s, the Australian government's perspective on the problem of youth unemployment has moved from emphasis on job availability to emphasis on individual job readiness. A 1999 Tasmanian study of early school leavers and their attempts to gain employment confirms the disjunction between the world of work and the educational experiences of youths who leave school after completing compulsory education. For the 63 Tasmanian youths studied, the pathway to work was not easy. Many reported negative experiences in their job searches, and many viewed themselves in a no-win situation as welfare officials pressured them to find employment without providing them with any meaningful assistance in doing so. However, the respondents did not perceive all attempts to assist them negatively. Those who participated in short training programs emphasizing generic skills and knowledge in specific areas of work generally considered the programs beneficial. Vocational training programs with no waiting periods were seen as key to easing the Tasmanian youths' transition from school to work. It was recommended that the issues of youth unemployment, forging school-business partnerships, and revising existing curricula be revisited. (Contains 13 references.) (MN)