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In 2017 Skillsroad launched the inaugural Skillsroad 2017 Youth Census. The research was commissioned by Apprenticeship Support Australia, in response to concerns regarding rising youth unemployment, whilst Australia's simultaneously faces a national skills shortage. The aim of the survey was to better understand the hopes, fears and realities of young people living in Australia today and explore attitudes and concerns around career pathways and workplace expectations. The insights gleaned ensure Apprenticeship Support Australia and Skillsroad can continue to provide evidence-based approaches for best practice skills development advice and solutions. Additionally, the findings are intended to inform students and job seekers as well as their parents, teachers and current or future employers about the current well-being levels of youth in Australia.

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This report combines data and findings from two proprietary Skillsroad surveys undertaken in 2020 with relevant supporting research and insights to review the nature of the challenges Gen Z [born 1995 to 2009; in 2020, between 12 and 25 years old] and young millennials [born 1980 to 1994; in 2020, between 26 and 40 years old] are currently dealing with, and how this may impact their working lives going forward. The report begins by providing a sweeping overview of how Gen Z generally differ from previous generations, and then delves into five 'challenge statements' relevant to the cohort as identified during the research. Each statement ends with practically actionable resources and insight to help employers, educators and parents identify the next steps they can take to support Australian youth going forward.

Key findings include: (1) Australian youth employment has been hard hit by the pandemic - 42.3 per cent of working respondents became unemployed or stood down because of [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19; they are worried about there being enough jobs in the future - and about liking the career they pick; (2) 55 per cent of youth are open to changing their plans if it means optimising career stability and future financial security; (3) the later youth start engaging with industry- and career-related advice, the more likely they are to worry about liking their future careers; 48 per cent of respondents said they want 'career discussion started earlier in school', while 68 per cent of respondents said they want more information about 'the jobs of the future'; and (4) Gen Z embraces diversity and multiple identities as core to who they are; improving how diversity and difference is approached and embraced in the workplace will lead to better talent uptake in the vocational education and training (VET) sector and positive career outcomes for more Australians.

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In 2017, in response to concerns regarding rising youth unemployment, Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) commissioned Skillsroad to undertake the inaugural Skillsroad youth census. Following on from the 2017 survey, the 2018 youth census was commissioned to gain a deeper understanding of how Australian youth are experiencing life as they prepare to transition from school to further education and/or work. Over 30,000 15-24-year-olds participated in this survey which covered wellbeing, career guidance at school, work (during and post-school), youth engagement and job outcomes, apprenticeship and traineeship pathways, university pathways, work expectations and experiences, mental health, and housing. Key findings: (1) only half the participants reported they received quality career advice throughout their schooling; (2) working is consistent with higher levels of wellbeing for young people; (3) it matters how youth are treated in the workplace - feeling supported at work was consistent with higher levels of wellbeing; (4) compared to any other post-school pathway, participants in apprenticeship reported the highest level of wellbeing; (5) having adults available to counsel on career questions results in youth more likely to end up in a career that relates to their post-school education and training; and (6) two thirds of all participants reported they experienced sadness, anxiety or worry that had significant impacts on how they studied, lived or worked in the last 12 months. Show less