Education to Employment could help ECEC, Generation Australia says

Freya Lucas

May 15, 2023

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The Federal Government could dramatically reduce its spending on JobSeeker and Youth Allowances if more investment was made in education-to-employment programs, according to Generation Australia CEO Malcolm Kinns.

“Many jobseekers are not prepared for, or energised by, the traditional model of TAFE or university, so education-to-employment programs offer a viable and quick pathway to help solve our national skills shortage, particularly in the tech and care sectors,” Mr Kinns said. Mr Kinns comments come on the back of the latest Budget, handed down last week by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, revealing a small increase in the JobSeeker and Youth allowances, as part of a $15 billion cost of living package.

“Whilst thankfully, the unemployment rate is currently low, it is expected to rise over the coming years, and by 2025 reach 4.5 per cent,” he said.

“In addition to significant impacts on our communities, this issue will present a combined problem for the government, who will also be facing increasing deficits over the next few budgets.”

Generation Australia is part of a global organisation, founded by McKinsey and Co, with major corporate partners including Accenture, Google and Microsoft, and philanthropic partners such as The Paul Ramsay Foundation.

So far, Generation Australia has educated over 1,000 Australians, with 80 per cent of graduates securing meaningful employment within 180 days, and many earning three times their earning power after graduating.

“We are currently in discussions with the government, and believe education-to-employment represents the future of a sustainable employment market,” Mr Kinns continued.

“We must begin to think about employment placements in a different way, delivering workers to emerging sectors and industries quickly.”

Learn more about Generation Australia here.

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