-
Employment, Education and Training in the Late 1990s
- From 1983-96, the Australian Labor Party's government provided
a comparatively stable approach to 'modernising' Australia. This
involved the restructuring of the Australian labour market, 'workplace
reforms', and the integration of the national economy into an
increasingly globalised economic framework.
This was achieved primarily through the Accord which secured union and employer support for integrating industry planning, for a centralised industrial relations system, the redirection of the share of national income going to business, and the need to offer minimal protection for the low-paid, low-skilled section of the workforce.
- This pathway to modernisation coincided with incremental increases
in long-term unemployment, the disappearance of the full-time
youth labour market, and a significant growth in under-employment
and the condition of 'employment at risk' for those who have waged
work.
- In mid-1996, Australia is becoming a post-industrial society that
has apparently accepted both permanent unemployment and high levels
of employment insecurity as features of its labour market. This
uncertainty about employment prospects affects predominantly young
people, women and people from a non-English-speaking background.
- It will be a critical test of the Howard government to establish
what (if anything) it intends to do about the uncertainty around
labour market participation, particularly as it effects young
people. The Coalition's employment and training policy in 1996
depends on the continuing use of metaphors which establish the
problems which Liberal policy then addresses.
These 'problems' relate to assertions about failures found in 'individuals' and to failures found in 'the market' which need to be removed so that the 'market' can work properly.
- There is some recognition by the Howard government that the current
high levels of youth unemployment may be explained by factors
other than a 'defective schooling system' and deficiencies of
the young people themselves. However, there is little recognition
by the part of the Coalition government that youth unemployment
is about the disintegration of the full-time youth labour market.
This has resulted from decreasing investment in jobs and increasing
investment in automation, and the export of semi-skilled and unskilled
work as part of economic globalisation.
- The unemployment problem has not been caused by an absence of
certain skills in young unemployed people, nor was/is it a problem
produced by an allegedly 'irrelevant' or 'rigid and unresponsive'
education and training system.
The unemployment problem is due to the absence of employment opportunities in terms of full-time employment, and the transfer of full-time positions to part-time and insecure employment.
- Training/education plays a limited role in increasing labour market
participation. Furthermore, long-term youth unemployment will
not be addressed by reforms introduced into the education or training
system, however vocational or responsive to market needs they
may be.
As J Freeland explained to the 1995 Commission for the Future of Work Seminar: "... increased schooling can defer the manifestation of the transitional problem, but it has not and will not provide a solution to the collapse in employment opportunities. Increased educational participation rates will reduce the proportion of 15-19 yr olds at risk only if the long-term collapse in the full-time teenage labour market is stemmed, and only if there are sufficient full-time employment opportunities for all those teenagers seeking such employment..."
- There has been a 'training-reform agenda' operating since 1989,
and this agenda saw a number of policy shifts :
1. There was a larger role given to industry in education and training.
2. A move was made towards the nationally recognised qualifications and a move to competency based training.
3. Industry-based approaches to training have been mixed with 'enterprise based training'. The Business Council of Australia is actively promoting the 'enterprise training stream'.
Although Australia's 'modernised' education and traineeship system is being portrayed as an innovative response to 'customer' needs ... the question remains: Just how 'real' are the new pathways particularly given the context facing young Australians?
- At the close of the 20th century, opportunities for young people
to participate, and find a place in public life defined in employment
terms, are increasingly unclear. And there are major costs for
our young people that have not been factored into the government's
overhaul of the economy. These costs include the price paid by
the young people who now face significant losses to their already
low incomes; who face increased social, individual and employment
insecurity brought about by reduced social protection.
- We as a community will pay dearly for not having performed our
duty of care to young people, most of whom have quite conventional
aspirations. In the near future, these costs will soon be bought
home because we have not adequately prepared the coming generation
for a social world that will have economic, cultural, and social
foundations markedly different from those of the industrial civilisation.
see also
- UNEMPLOYMENT: THE ECONOMIC MYTHS
by FRANK STILWELL
Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney
Contact
For further contact : John Tomlinson, Organising Committee, National Conference on Unemployment, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001
email contact -- j.tomlinson@qut.edu.au
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