emerging underclass

THE EMERGING UNDERCLASS
Andrew Thompson


“Young people are now the significant losers from the radical transformation in the nature and shape of work in Australia over the past two decades” (Kirby report, 2000)

Once upon time it was commonplace to leave school at 16, get a job and be fairly confident of holding it until you were handed your gold watch upon retirement. Enter economic rationalism; downsizing and all of sudden things 'ain’t' what they used to be. The casualisation of the work place has left many young people with no job security.

When Adam Coote left school, he didn’t feel like going to university, he’d had enough of school and wanted to join the work force straight way. It’s a decision he has now come to regret.

“I started working casually at factory, it was pretty boring but the money was good, then they lost a contract that they were counting on, all of a sudden me and about 20 others were told we were out of a job. From there I’ve been...