Canterbury under 25s crusade into jobs

Young adults in Canterbury are getting jobs at a rapid rate. MP for Christchurch Central Electorate, Tim Barnett released figures today showing the number of local 18-24 year olds on the unemployment benefit has dropped by an impressive 81.9 per cent since March 1999.

There are now around 950 young adults requiring an unemployment benefit now in the whole Canterbury area compared to 5270 people in March 1999.

" In Hornby there's been a huge drop of 93 per cent and in Riccarton, Linwood and Papanui a drop of 88 per cent, Papanui has gone from 571 people to just 58 today.

Tim Barnett said today, "Young folk of today are no longer on the unemployment scrap heap of the nineties and their parents aren't in a fug wondering if their kids will have a future career.

Latest figures show 12,254 people were involved in industry training during 2004 in Christchurch and this combined with the low youth unemployment numbers show that investment in young people is going to pay dividends for local business.

"I want to acknowledge the local companies that are part of the schools Gateway programme and apprenticeship training, and other businesses who employ a young person. It is tough sometimes for young people to be taken seriously and to be given a chance, but your help can be the beginning of a great future for them. I enclose the heart warming statistics ".

© Scoop Media