I can personally see pitfalls ahead in the Government's youth unemployment package, below, with older unemployed people becoming victims of the policy, and many employers ripping off the system as usual. I would say good luck to the Government, but I have seen Tory policies before during the last couple of decades that don't benefit workers of any age. Please read on:
Critics say there are pitfalls in the Government's $152 million package to tackle youth unemployment.
The scheme, announced at the annual conference of the National Party on Sunday, includes subsidised work, education and training for unemployed young people.
Wellington High School principal Prue Kelly says some young people drop out of school before they become eligible for the scheme.
She says training can be expensive for 16 to 18 year olds struggling with training without any income.
Other critics argue the scheme would shift the unemployment problem from young, subsidised workers, to older, unsubsidised workers.
But Stuart Middleton of the Manukau Institute of Technology, says there are 17,000 - 25,000 people between 16 and 24 who are doing nothing because they have no training and are unattractive to employers.
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