Is It ‘Dog Days’ for the Young in the Australian Labour Market?

Abstract

From 2008–2019 there was a substantial deterioration in employment outcomes for the young (aged 15–24 years) in Australia. Their employment/population rate decreased by 4.3 percentage points, whereas for those aged 25 years and above it increased by 1 percentage point. We argue that the major cause was the young being ‘crowded out’ from employment due to an increase in labour market competition. Adjustment to increased competition also meant they were more likely to: be employed part-time or long-term unemployed; start their work careers in lower-quality jobs; and need to compete for jobs through activities such as unpaid internships.