asked the Minister for Labour if the Manpower Consultative Committee's sub-committee on youth employment has made any recommendations on how to deal with the youth unemployment problem: and the action he has taken in this area, other than the introduction of the Youth Employment Agency Bill, 1981.
Written Answers. - Youth Employment.
653.
The report of the Manpower Consultative Committee's sub-committee on youth employment was published in November 1980. The sub-committee's terms of reference were to examine the extent of the present and future youth employment situation, the difficulties encountered by young people in obtaining employment and to suggest ways of overcoming these difficulties.
The main recommendation contained in the report was that young people who remain unemployed for a period to be specified after leaving school should be regarded as priority clients for the allocation of places on training courses, work experience programmes and youth employment schemes. The Youth Employment Agency, which will have the task of arranging that up to 20,000 young people who are without employment for up to six months will qualify for participation on one of the existing or projected youth employment or training schemes, will discharge this recommendation. This figure of 20,000 will be in addition to the 20,000 young people who will participate in such schemes in 1981.
The report made a number of other recommendations on how to deal with the youth employment problem. Many of the recommendations related to the lack of adequate statistics, information and research, on youth employment and unemployment. Recent measures, such as the introduction of an annual sample survey of school leavers which gives a broad indication of the pattern of employment among young people upon leaving the educational system, will assist in the preparation of data and other information on employment among young people. Furthermore, since the beginning of 1981 the National Manpower Service have introduced a new information system on job-seekers registered with it and school leavers looking for their first job and registered with the NMS are separately identified. Details of the numbers involved are published quarterly in the Manpower Information Quarterly. In addition, the activities of the Youth Employment Agency will improve our information on the youth labour market.
The report stated that, while a reduction in the level of youth unemployment would be achieved mainly through economic growth and the consequent increase in overall labour demand, certain groups of young people could, however, have specific employment problems. The primary objective of a number of Government programmes is the protection and creation of jobs and this will, of course, assist young people. I might mention here the National Development Corporation. The Youth Employment Agency will provide for increased penetration for disadvantaged youth to the various training and work experience schemes.
The report also referred to the need for research into the problems of the disadvantaged and I anticipate that the agency will be looking into this whole area.
The report referred to the lack of sufficient information available to young people on the occupations and geographical locations where employment opportunities are likely to be best. The occupational shortages sub-committee of the Manpower Consultative Committee have considered this recommendation and have highlighted the occupations in short supply and the areas of likely employment opportunities. The main agent for the dissemination of this information is the National Manpower Service, which has offices throughout the country and the service has been and will continue to be active in this field. The sub-committee have also endeavoured to reach graduates through the careers and appointments services of the universities and by developing special postgraduate courses in areas of particular shortages.
The report also recommended that a comprehensive examination of the educational system regarding its relevance to modern employment of a technical nature should be carried out. The Manpower Consultative Committee, and other interested bodies, are continuing to examine the needs of the labour market and the response from the educational system to these needs, in consultation with the Department of Education and other bodies. In addition, the sub-committee on attitudes to industrial employment will shortly make final recommendations. Earlier recommendations of the sub-committee — for example, those relating to the establishment of school/industry links schemes — have already been implemented.
As regards the general question of vocational preparation and training, this matter will be taken up by the Youth Employment Agency under a number of their terms of reference, including that relating to the submission of views on educational policy and its effectiveness in preparing young people for working life.
The report stated that the employment incentive scheme and other such schemes may make a contribution to overcoming any resistance on the part of firms to employing young people and that they should be continued. The EIS has operated in 1981 and discussions are underway regarding its continuance in 1982. The Youth Employment Agency will expand substantially other schemes operated for the benefit of young people.
The report highlights in a number of its conclusions and recommendations the problems of disadvantaged young people. This will be an area where the Youth Employment Agency will concentrate their efforts.