Youth unemployment is on the rise and there are fears the trend will continue unless the federal government makes changes to its $4 billion job network system.
The jobless rate for people aged 15-19 was 16.8 per cent in March, more than three times the national average.
The figure rose by almost 0.5 per cent - or 4,100 young people - and represents an increase of about four per cent on March 2008 levels.
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Mission Australia, one of the nation's largest job service providers, says the job network, introduced in the middle of last year, is not meeting the needs of young people.
While Jobs Services Australia provides 35 youth sites around the country, the programs are not individually tailored, the organisation's CEO Toby Hall says.
Mission Australia's plan
Mission Australia has proposed a number of changes to the network, including:
- Specialised youth job coordinators in areas of high unemployment
- A 20 per cent increase in financial support to job service providers who look after disadvantaged young job seekers
- The reintroduction of youth age limits on subsidised traineeships
- Increased employer incentives for traineeships offered to young people
Mr Hall says young people are falling through the cracks because they can't make the transition from school to work.
"Schools are not getting young people ready and when it comes to the workforce, they are not prepared, and they fail when they get in," he told AAP.
"Employers want to give kids the right start but they don't have the skills."
It was especially hard for young people from areas where unemployment was the norm.
The planned changes would make a significant difference, and help bring long-term youth unemployment below 10 per cent, Mr Hall said.
Mission Australia says a trial should begin in eastern Melbourne, west Adelaide and the NSW central coast where teenage unemployment tops 30 per cent.
It estimates the pilot would cost $5 million.
