ALTHOUGH the number of people with jobs has risen by over 400,000 in the past year, there are still more than 120,000 long-term jobless - those who have been officially unemployed for more than 12 months.
And the problem of long-term unemployment is especially acute for older jobseekers.
The number of long-term jobless fell to 121,7000, seasonally adjusted, in November from 129,400 in October, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today showed.
In November 2009, long-term unemployment was 109,100, having already risen from the 66,200 in July 2008 which marked the lowest since the 1970s.
The small dip from October to November this year is encouraging, but with this volatile series it will take more than one month-to-month fall to confirm the recent upward trend has turned around.
It was only a little over a year ago, in August 2009, that the number unemployed for less than a year peaked, but a downturn did not emerge in earnest until later in the year.
So while a downturn in the long-term component of unemployment is due right about now - with the usual delay of around a year - it may not become obvious from the choppy data series for a few months yet.
In the meantime the fallout from the earlier weakness in the labour market is still settling on the long-term jobless.
And, as always, it is older workers who are doing it toughest.
The average duration of unemployment for those in the 15 to 19 years age group, from which so-called ``youth unemployment'' is measured, was 27.5 weeks in November 2009 but has since fallen to 20.8 weeks.
Notably, more than half of that group of unemployed youth are full-time secondary or tertiary students.
The duration of unemployment rises with age, until in the 55-plus group, average time spent unemployed was 83.1 weeks in November this year, up from 67.9 weeks a year earlier.
There is nothing unusual about this.
In fact for the past decade, duration of unemployment has averaged 51 weeks longer for the over-55s than for under-55s, and 69 weeks longer than for 16 to 19 year olds.
ABS data compiled on a different methodological basis (using time since the last full-time job) shows the disparity has persisted along similar lines since the immediate aftermath of the early 1980s recession.
So, while continued improvement in the economy promises some reduction in the time taken to find a job, historical experience warns that the gap between older and younger jobseekers is set in stone.
Comments on this story
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Fuddy of Perth Posted at 8:55 PM December 16, 2010
Everything is aimed at helping the young and fit ones get the jobs. If your over 50 and have a weight problem forget it.
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'Nuff said of Perth Posted at 8:48 PM December 16, 2010
I sincerely hope that Mine Rescue Officer and Bludger never get laid off when they are in their older years. There are many reasons why some people are long term unemployed and most of them have nothing to do with being a bludger or not wanting to work. As Faul Kinell said, too old, too young, wrong qualifications, no experience, too much experience, under qualified, over qualified, bastard bosses . Eventually too, it sucks away your self-esteem, self respect and leaves you stuck in a limbo where it's an endless nightmare. Your personality changes and then you're even more undesirable as a job applicant.
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Mine Rescue Officer of Goldfields WA Posted at 6:18 PM December 16, 2010
How could anyone be possibly unemployed in WA? Welfare is a legitimate safety net and not a lifestyle. This is the 21st Century, the workforce needs to be transitional, skilled and be able to be forward thinking to the needs of Industry. I work in the Mining Industry and have moved mountains (up-skilled) to make the transition from the Public Sector to the Resource Industry. It can be done!!!!! Get off welfare!!! Simply turning up to an appointment at the Employment Office does not cut it.
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The Long Term Unemployed Still More Than 120,000 (Read 433 times)
