Tony Abbott’s $128 million cut to youth education and employment programs including the National Job Guide will mean high school students currently using the Guide in selecting subjects for senior school and beyond will be the last to do so since 1971.
At this time every year students across Australia are sitting down with their Job Guide to choose the next year’s subjects in paving the way for their future career.
Despite the critical importance of this much loved resource, Tony Abbott has abolished the National Job Guide from 2015 onwards.
This means students currently pouring through the Guide in preparation for the next school year will be the last generation of their kind in 44 years, abandoning millions of students from 2015 with no career pathway support.
“It is completely unacceptable that Tony Abbott is cutting a critical resource like the National Job Guide,” Catherine King said.
“How can this Government justify doing away with universal access to important information for our young people and replacing it with guesswork?”
The most authoritative job resource in Australia and critical classroom staple in every secondary school, the National Job Guide has helped millions of students from 1971 make informed choices when it comes to senior subjects, university and beyond.
“Not content with ripping away one critical resource from our young people, Tony Abbott has also from 2015 cut the My Future website.”
“Leaving our students with no resource, no guidance and no advice during what is one of the most critically important times of their life is incomprehensible.”
Catherine King said the axing of the National Job Guide will have a significant impact on youth employment participation in Ballarat.
“Young people in Ballarat need support and resources to get them into work sooner, not more cuts and broken promises.
“The abolishment of the National Job Guide will also impact school and career counsellors who rely on the Guide to assist them in supporting young people make informed decisions about their future.”
Tony Abbott’s $128 million cut will also see youth employment program providers like Youth Connections and Partnership Brokers all but forced to close their doors from 1 January next year.
“Tony Abbott doesn’t have a plan for our young people beyond more cuts to critical services and resources like the National Job Guide”.
“It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop cutting and start explaining what his plan for career advice and youth employment participation services is beyond more heartless cuts to the services our students rely on.”