Rise in long-term jobless

A national rise in long-term unemployment is being mirrored in Bunbury, according to a local employment services company.

Statistics recently released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found people unemployed for one year or more rose from 16 per cent in July 2009 to 18 per cent in July 2010.

Skill Hire Bunbury branch manager Kim Humphreys said Bunbury had seen an increase in people who had been searching for employment for more than one year similar to the national average.

Common reasons found to be inhibiting the long-term unemployed from finding work, the national statistics body said, included too many applicants for available jobs (14 per cent), too far to travel/transport problems (13 per cent) and own health or disability (13 per cent).

Ms Humphreys said transport problems were also a concern in Bunbury.

‘‘It’s hard to get public transport here before 8.30 in the morning,’’ she said.

‘‘Public transport is an ongoing issue.’’

There were also more mature people wanting to enter the workforce in Bunbury and the South West, according to Ms Humphreys.

‘‘There is an increase in matureaged workers looking for work,’’ she said.

One reason for the increase in long term joblessness in the South West was the flow-on from the global financial crisis, Ms Humphreys said.

For those trying to gain employment, she said, there were a number of ways to help improve their chances.

She suggested undergoing training and trying to upskill as well as participating in Government supported placement programs.

Nationally, more than 80 per cent of unemployed people are unemployed for less than one year, with a quarter of those being unemployed for less than a month.