Media coverage - The Age: Fighting the drop-out factor

All Jordan Mulhem needed was pluck and a little encouragement. The teenager wanted to leave school at year 10, mostly because he had heard that the final years were demanding. Fortunately he had enjoyed computer and electrical training courses and these, coupled with a push from his parents, meant he stayed on to finish year 12.

On leaving school, Jordan narrowly missed out on a plumbing apprenticeship, which forced him to spend a few months at home applying for courses. This gave him a taste of what friends who had dropped out of school early were experiencing. "It was no fun. You had no money. You didn't talk to anyone so you got a bit depressed."

Jordan finally decided he wanted to work for the Australian Federal Police and so accepted a place in an advanced diploma of justice course at Kangan Institute, in Broadmeadows. He loves the course and urges those who are not working to study at TAFE rather than hang around home.

Many young people would like to heed his advice, but are failing to make the transition to further study. Jordan grew up in Melbourne's north-west suburbs, where more than half those aged 15 to 19 are not studying and are registered as seeking full-time work, according to ABS figures. Some may work part-time or do the occasional short course, but many are not.

Paul Bird, state director for Mission Australia, says such teenagers are not ready for work, a problem his charity tries to alleviate by running work experience programs. "The perception that they don't want a job is wrong. They desperately want one, even those from jobless families," he says.

Educators and welfare agencies recognise that getting disadvantaged youth to complete VCE or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) or do a pre-apprenticeship course at TAFE helps to break this cycle. But it often takes intervention by parents, teachers, welfare agencies and outreach programs by the TAFE to get them there. Jordan's cousin, Abdallah Ali, admits he nearly didn't make it.

"I thought about dropping out in year 9 because of the way my grades were going. I just wanted to go out with mates and have fun."

Abdallah carried on but struggled with English in year 12 as he has learning difficulties. Without an ATAR score to gain entry into a tertiary course, he joined the Army Reserve. He went on to study computer systems at the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE.

Both Jordan and Abdallah believe they are studying because of a fortuitous series of events. Abdallah finally found teachers who could help him with his learning difficulties when he shifted to Thomastown Secondary in senior high school. He has also found staff at NMIT who understand. Both young men receive scholarships and support from the Smith Family, which has helped with costs and confidence.

Jordan knows others who need help. "I have a friend who regrets dropping out at year 10. I feel sad for him because he didn't have the encouragement that I had."

Staff at Kangan Institute, which sits in the heartland of youth unemployment, recognise that they must be proactive to get such teenagers through their doors.

TAFE costs remains a problem. Jordan says he could not afford his course without the Smith Family's support, despite working part time for 12 hours a week.

TAFE study is usually cheaper than university, mostly because the courses are shorter. Fees for a government-subsidised place at Kangan range from $50 to $500 for Certificate 1 courses and $500 to $1895 for advanced diploma qualifications. Costs for full fee-paying students range from $3000 to $8000.

The problem for prospective TAFE students is that fees vary between institutions so students must inquire at each one. Many students are eligible for loans through VET Fee-Help but can be reluctant to take them.

Often that's because their parents do not support their studies. Jordan says he and Abdallah are fortunate that their parents, who are from Syria, value education and taught them to respect teachers.

"Sometimes parents don't discipline their kids and so they don't know what is right or wrong, while others from overseas are really strict and their children don't know what they could do. Parents need to show them how to live life," he says.

Vicki Joyce, the manager of the Centre for Youth at Kangan in Broadmeadows, says many of the 500 VCAL and VCE students at the TAFE are disadvantaged and have complex needs. They may have been referred by schools, police, welfare agencies or youth workers.

Nathan Hubbard is in a pre-apprenticeship course at Kangan Institute after completing a VCAL "Give it a go" course where he tried trades such as metal fabrication and furniture-making.

Now 16, he says he and some friends started to get into trouble in year 9 and left Craigieburn Secondary College that year. "The teachers were getting on my nerves at school," he says. "and it was all book work except for PE. Here it is more hands-on stuff."

He now studies and works for his father's carpentry business. Despite being the youngest in his class, he recently won an outstanding achievement award for VCAL.

He is pleased with his progress but worries about some friends. "They got kicked out of school and they're sitting at home doing nothing or are getting into trouble."

Some want to study, he says, but feel pressured by their unemployed friends to continue to hang around with them. If they studied, he says, they would get support from transition facilitators and youth workers. "At school they're just teachers, but at TAFE they're your friends."

Kangan at Broadmeadows runs many programs to give high-school students a sense of what is available. As well as 20 VET programs for school students, there are taster programs for year 9 and 10 students.

It also participates in the annual "Try a Trade" event, to be held at the Broadmeadows Town Hall from May 17 to 18. Last year this showcase for different jobs in areas of skills shortages attracted 1400 students from 36 secondary schools.

Kangan also runs Front Burner, a program that gives students at risk of leaving school early training in hospitality.

Jesse Marshall, president of the National Union of Students, says such initiatives are welcome. He says many TAFEs have piecemeal student organisations, which means the most disadvantaged students often get the least support.

"In an area like Broadmeadows with high unemployment and low household incomes, you must provide support as many students come from families with no tradition of tertiary education."

The Smith Family recognises that students need to broaden their horizons. Maggie McKeand, who looks after 300 students on Learning for Life scholarships in the northern suburbs, recently took girls from Thomastown Secondary to a city law firm. She says they were surprised by the variety of jobs available.

"Your aspirations are determined by what your friends and family do. It opened their minds up."

Mr Bird is concerned about a disconnect between employers and the training system. Mission Australia offers work experience in landscaping and construction for high-needs youth. "Most have had training but are not successful in getting work and work experience," he says

Bill Threlfall, executive officer with the Hume Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network, says recent publicity about the high level of under-employed young seeking full-time work galvanised local agencies.

Using the 3047 postcode for Broadmeadows as a target, they established a jobs service at Broadmeadows station and found work, traineeships or apprenticeships for 30 young people within 47 days.

Story originally published in The Age on 3 May 2011