20,000 subsidised uni courses is no solution for youth staring down barrel of long-term unemplymnt & zero job prospects. Govt must inject funding into VET & unis, scrap all fees & expand public jobs immediately. (1) https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-14/online-courses-to-keep-you-busy-during-coronavirus-isolation/12144718?pfmredir=sm

Young wrkrs some of hardest hit in crisis. More likely to wrk consumer-facing industries shutdown (hospo, retail). Doubly screwed over as insecure, casuals excluded from JobKeeper. Cwth & States failing to deliver rent support. Youth being robbed of security & independence. (2)

Youth labour market pre-COVID was already bad. Declining FT jobs, high underemplymnt, low-paid casual jobs w no pathway to security & declining participation. 20,000 courses (which dont even qualify you for a job) would have been piss poor solution BEFORE this crisis hit (3)

Education Minister framing his piecemeal skills program as discipline against "Netflix binging" is victim blaming BS. Youth have been systematically shut out of jobs & decent education by dysfunctional neoliberal jobs markets & privatisation of VET & unis that bumped up costs (4)

Govt must create real education-jobs pathways for youth now. Revitalise VET sector w TAFE-industry linkages as anchor, abolish uni fees w paid placements & expand apprenticeships programs. So many jobs to be done to reconstruct a sustainable future economy! @AEUfederal