Youth Unemployment in Australia: The Role of Race and Gender

This article analyzes the issue of youth unemployment in Australia and explores the impact of race and gender on employment opportunities. It discusses the prevalence of racial discrimination and gender inequality in the labor market and suggests measures to address these issues.

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Contemporary Society
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Sociology
Introduction
The presentation seeks to determine and analyze the issue of youth unemployment based on two
social science concepts that are race and gender (Junankar, 2015). In doing so we are going to
determine how gender and race have contributed to increasing levels of youth unemployment in
Australia.
Background of youth unemployment in Australia
Unemployment is often used as a measure of the health a certain economy. It usually happens
when a person who is actively seeking for a job fails to find one. Statistics indicate that the
overall rate of unemployment in Australia is at around 5.8% which corresponds to about 710000
unemployed Australians. The unemployment rate for youths is at 12.4% which is about twice as
high as the overall unemployment rate and corresponds to about 250000 Australians (Lamb,
2011).
The blame to this kind of trend has been pointed towards many issues such as the fact that most
of the youths combine studies and work (Mueller,Ouimet & Simintzi, 2017). This, therefore,
makes it almost impossible for youths to seek active employment. In addition to this, although
younger workers are relatively cheaper in comparison to other older workers, the young workers
often miss some really essential aspects needed in the job market such as enough skills and
experience (Harkness, 2013). Moreover, statistics indicate that last year alone, 70% of young
people graduated with university degrees from different recognized institutions and centers of
high learning. The bitter truth is that only 17% of this population managed to secure employment
of which some are not on a permanent basis.

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There have been concerns as to why young people are graduating with various degrees and yet
fail to secure employment opportunities. Is it most probable that these young people are
graduating with degrees that do not match the skills needed in employment? The answer to this
question is no. The issue is not about the quality of degrees that these young people graduate
with. The main issue is about the economic system of the country that has for a long time failed
to deliver outcomes in favor of the young generation (Reeson, Measham & Hosking,2012).
Race and gender are two social science concepts that could provide clarity concerning the issue
of youth unemployment in Australia.
The concept of race and youth unemployment in Australia
According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, cases of racial discrimination are still
common in Australia despite its multicultural society. Quite a number of Australians have
continued to face racial discrimination in various sectors such as in employment (Mueller,
Ouimet, Simintzi, 2017). The concept of white race privilege works in a way that it favors only
the whites and oversees other racial orientations in issues such as employment. Other races and
some indigenous Australians, as well as immigrants, are considered to be insignificant and
inherently inferior over the white race. This is a trend that has been seen in various sectors of the
Australian economy including the Australian public service. For white counterparts, studies
indicate that there is a very and relatively high rate of employment than jobs lost for young
people (Lamb,2011).
The basis of most employment opportunities that are being offered to the no-white races in
Australia entails preference in casual, part-time and seasonal employment while the whites are

Sociology
being considered for permanent basis. In terms of monetary incentives, the non-white races are
being compensated at a very low rate in comparison to their white counterparts (Harkness, 2010).
This is a really serious issue that needs immediate attention and action. The young population is
the future of Australia and having such cases in the 21st century is a threat for not only the
prosperity of the country but also its survival (Junankar,2015).
There has been an inequality in employment opportunities in Australia based on the social
science concept of race.
Gender and youth employment in Australia
This is a very absurd assumption because there should be measures of productivity of employees
and a person’s gender should not be used as one of these measures (Strazdins et al.,2010). Both
men and women can have various productivities based on various issues such as training,
education levels and levels of experience. Gender is not a factor that has an influence on the
productivity of an employee.
It is important to note that unemployment at their young ages for both male and female youths
often has an impact on their self-esteem and it can even to extends of harming their careers as
well as employment prospects in their life. Usually cases of unemployment place youths of both
genders in some really impossible situations. Some of the end up frustrated (Harkness, 2013).
It is also important to note that youths as a group are not homogenous, usually, there is a certain
group that is vulnerable and often considered as a minority. This group is in most cases
associated with quite a number of difficulties entering into the remaining limited labor market.

Sociology
In such instances, such kind of a group loses its trust and believe in the system of governance as
well as the economic system of the government. The final result of such cases could be issues
such as a rise in extremism which could eventually escalate into a series of political instability
(Reeson, Measham, Hosking, 2012).
In such cases, it is important that remedies and action plans are put in place to address such
issues. For instance, measures such as lowering the requirements and standards needed for
women in the labor market in comparison to that of men. This tends to attract more women into
the labor market and thus reducing cases of inequality.
Conclusion
In conclusion , there is need to check on the economic system which is not capable to
accommodate thousands of Australian youths that graduate with university degrees from various
institutions in Australia (Carvalho, 2015).
In addition to this, the issue of inequality is also rampant in youth’s employment. This has been
portrayed in various dimensions such as gender and well as race. Inequality in youths
employment is not healthy especially for a growing country like Australia. It is important that all
individuals are given equal employment opportunities regardless of their age, gender or race
(Strazdins et al, 2010).

Sociology
References
Carvalho, P. (2015). Youth unemployment in Australia. Policy: A Journal of Public Policy and
Ideas, 31(4), 36.
Harkness, S. (2010). The contribution of women's employment and earnings to household
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Junankar, P. R. (2015). The impact of the Global Financial Crisis on youth unemployment.
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Lamb, S. (2011). School dropout and completion in Australia. In School Dropout and
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Mueller, H. M., Ouimet, P. P., & Simintzi, E. (2017). Wage inequality and firm
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Strazdins, L., Shipley, M., Clements, M., Obrien, L. V., & Broom, D. H. (2010). Job quality and
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