Adelaide - a city with few job opportunities, subtle racism and a bleak future

[star123]

Sometimes its easier said than done to make it work, when you have trained and worked in the same field for 20 years and then suddenly the job that you have trained to do is not in high demand, its hard to say, hey its ok i will re train to do something else, in my 40's with children to feed and bills to pay, so yes lets try something else out there along with the other 100's of people who are also not finding work in their field and lookin elsewhere, not always that easy to say...

[Guest Nixipixi82]

Sometimes its easier said than done to make it work, when you have trained and worked in the same field for 20 years and then suddenly the job that you have trained to do is not in high demand, its hard to say, hey its ok i will re train to do something else, in my 40's with children to feed and bills to pay, so yes lets try something else out there along with the other 100's of people who are also not finding work in their field and lookin elsewhere, not always that easy to say...

 

I understand, I have spent the last 8 years focused on a particular career (and trust me, this is long for me!), and if i was to find a similar job in Adelaide, i would be minted! But i am not holding my breath, just keeping my options open. If you thought you couldn't do something, then you wouldn't do anything. It always depends on how you look at life

[jim and adel]

Unemployment is 7%. Therefore 93% have work.

 

If only it worked like that! Workforce participation rates at the best of times are only around 65% of adults who could work, so 35% don't get counted in the first place. Therefore it's only 7% unemployed and 93% employed of the 65% who are participating - many are on benefits that mean they don't get included, or are housewives/husbands, or are those who do want a job but haven't sought one in the preceding four weeks meaning they're no longer seen as participating (or it could be for any number of other reasons).

 

Beyond that, I'm keeping out of this thread, but it's certainly got the potential to become interesting!

[adelaidenow]

If only it worked like that! Workforce participation rates at the best of times are only around 65% of adults who could work, so 35% don't get counted in the first place. Therefore it's only 7% unemployed and 93% employed of the 65% who are participating - many are on benefits that mean they don't get included, or are housewives/husbands, or are those who do want a job but haven't sought one in the preceding four weeks meaning they're no longer seen as participating (or it could be for any number of other reasons).

 

Beyond that, I'm keeping out of this thread, but it's certainly got the potential to become interesting!

 

 

It doesn't matter how it works, or are you saying the SA unemployment rates are worked out differently to other states?

 

And if people don't want to work, for whatever reason, they are leaving jobs for others.

[Guest Dion]

Well kinda agree, since we been here my oh been in and out of work, nothin on the horizon and we came here to SA to give our children more opportunities but how things are now for us, it seems pretty bleak, so we leaving SA and heading to another state where we hope employment and opportunities are better for us as a family, that's why we made the big decision to migrate in the first place and SA is not doing it for us by a long shot, but at the end of the day what suits one does not always suit the other everyone has different expectations but work here is non existant in my husbands line of work

 

Hi, just returned from my second job to read your comment. Nothing is more depressing than on and off work except no work. I know how you guys feel having being there. Adelaide is good for kids but bad for adults without permanent work. I wish my parents had established themselves in another state, not SA. It would have been better for all of us in the long run. It's great that you at least considering moving interstate.

[Guest Dion]

Sometimes its easier said than done to make it work, when you have trained and worked in the same field for 20 years and then suddenly the job that you have trained to do is not in high demand, its hard to say, hey its ok i will re train to do something else, in my 40's with children to feed and bills to pay, so yes lets try something else out there along with the other 100's of people who are also not finding work in their field and lookin elsewhere, not always that easy to say...

 

I have to say you are 100 per cent spot on!

 

My wife is a teacher with a permanent appointment. She would have had buckleys getting that in Adelaide. Cannot raise a family on casual or trt work. Retrain? and waste years of effort and study and personal enjoyment? so she settle get a crappy job?

 

I think some people on here are setting themselves up for a huge disappointment. Especially teachers that want to work in SA. And other professionals with experience.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

from ABS... (technically, if I ask you to give me a hand tidying the garage and it takes us an hour, you are classed as employed even though I only offer you a beer).

 

THE EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED

 

The way the ABS measures employment and unemployment has not changed markedly since the inception of the national LFS in 1964. The labour force status of a person is determined solely by their current work-related and job-search activity, and their current availability for work. The following concepts and definitions apply to employment and unemployment:

 

Employed persons comprise all those civilians aged 15 years and over who worked for one hour or more in the reference week or who had a job from which they were absent. Work is taken to mean work for one hour or more during the reference week, undertaken for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind, in a job, business or farm, or without pay in a family business or farm.

 

Unemployed persons are those aged 15 years and over who satisfy all three of the following:

 

a) The person must not be employed, i.e. they must be ‘without work’.

 

b) The person must be ‘looking for work’. A person must have, at some time during the previous four weeks, undertaken specific ‘active’ steps to look for work, such as applied to an employer for work, answered an advertisement for a job, visited an employment agency, used a touchscreen at Centrelink offices, or contacted friends or relatives. The search may be for full-time or part-time work. In either case, however, the person must have done more than merely read job advertisements in newspapers.

 

c) The person must be ‘available to start work’. This is taken to mean that they were available to start work in the survey reference week (i.e. the week before the interview).

 

The criteria used to define a person as being unemployed are criticised by some analysts as being too stringent, and not reflecting the full extent of unemployment. In particular, there is a view that the unemployed should also include those persons who, as an alternative to being without work, accept jobs which offer only a few hours a week, while continuing to look for full-time work.

Edited August 21, 2013 by BurgessFamily

[Guest Dion]

It doesn't matter how it works, or are you saying the SA unemployment rates are worked out differently to other states?

 

And if people don't want to work, for whatever reason, they are leaving jobs for others.

 

Hate to break it to you but the official stats are a con. You work 1 hour a week you are counted as employed. People that have given up, not counted. Students not counted either.

 

the true rate of unemployment is much much higher Australia wide. Here is a link to respected research company Roy Morgan. The real rate of unemployment is around 10 per cent with another 10 percent underemployed meaning those in casual or part time work.

padelaide stats must be even worse.

 

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5084-unemployment-july-2013-201308200039

 

Govts in the 80s started fudging the figures in order to make things appear better they really are. Roy Morgan looks past this con to get a truer picture.

[Guest Guest12727]

Well, what an interesting thread.

A Sydney-sider who hasn't lived in Adelaide for 14 years and has only visited once in that time has signed up with PIA to offer us all his expert advice.

 

We are told that Adelaide is a terrible place for gaining employment and the prospects of finding any job in Adelaide are hopeless, let alone one that is in your own profession. Our expert, who himself works temporary part-time in Sydney, then goes on to explain that having a high number of people in work that isn't full-time strengthens his case that anyone thinking of emigrating to Oz should go anywhere other than Adelaide if they want any chance of finding work.

 

Well, I thought I worked part-time because it suits my family lifestyle, but I now realise it is because I have the misfortune of living in Adelaide. I also thought I had employment in my own profession - must have read the job description incorrectly as this can't be true. My husband must also have been duped. We thought he found full-time work in his own field last year, after a few week search. Wrong again. Thank you for your learned, expert advice and for correcting my mis-conceptions. Please don't worry about us, look after yourself and stay in Sydney.

[adelaidenow]

Hate to break it to you but the official stats are a con. You work 1 hour a week you are counted as employed. People that have given up, not counted. Students not counted either.

 

the true rate of unemployment is much much higher Australia wide. Here is a link to respected research company Roy Morgan. The real rate of unemployment is around 10 per cent with another 10 percent underemployed meaning those in casual or part time work.

padelaide stats must be even worse.

 

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5084-unemployment-july-2013-201308200039

 

Govts in the 80s started fudging the figures in order to make things appear better they really are. Roy Morgan looks past this con to get a truer picture.

 

You aren't breaking anything to me, and thanks for the clarification.

 

I think all my son's teachers work full time, and he is in Adelaide. So why wouldn't your wife have a chance of a job here?

[Adaobijoy]

Really an ambivalent post! Find it a lil bit confusing .What exactly is the message being conveyed by the post?

One truth is sacrosanct -The best gift any parent can give to a child is a happy childhood.If Adelaide provides one with the opportunity and environment to achieve this,it would only be a good thing.

[sueoc]

If only it worked like that! Workforce participation rates at the best of times are only around 65% of adults who could work, so 35% don't get counted in the first place. Therefore it's only 7% unemployed and 93% employed of the 65% who are participating - many are on benefits that mean they don't get included, or are housewives/husbands, or are those who do want a job but haven't sought one in the preceding four weeks meaning they're no longer seen as participating (or it could be for any number of other reasons).

 

Beyond that, I'm keeping out of this thread, but it's certainly got the potential to become interesting!

Yep,Anyone who does not take Statistics with a huge pinch of Salt is exceedingly wet behind the Ears.

[sueoc]

Gotta say though,Adelaide is a much,much better place for my offspring than the UK IMO.That is the reason we came here,for our Sons future.Our Children are all that matters to most of us.Certainly i feel good that we are here,it is a good peaceful place to live.There are lots of people on their way here now,and it is false to give them such Negativity about Jobs .Those i know who have arrived over the past few years have all landed on their feet sooner or later(mostly sooner)Some will do different Jobs to start with,just to get on the Ladder,and later move on to what they are skilled at.Adelaide just ain't that bad,.Seek and ye shall find,as they say!!!

[Toni]

Had to smile about your comment regarding the old Lecornu site at North Adelaide. Many wouldn't remember it was that. (I think they do have approval BTW finally to do something with it but it has only been a few years and the developer hasn't done anything yet.). I also come from a non-english speaking background, although born in Adelaide and unfortunately I do agree that if you have a foreign name you are judged by it by some employers. I've always had a job and so did my father and he had a very unusual first name. He was treated quite poorly in many of his jobs but stuck it out as there wasn't much choice and he didn't take things lying down. I think you are correct about the stats on employment/unemployment. I know quite a few people who don't have enough work but won't bother registering as unemployed. I think the unemployment levels are a lot higher than reported and I think a lot of people settle for jobs that they may not have previously considered just to get financial (which makes sense). It is a fact that the growing elderly population is higher in Adelaide. I do love Adelaide, it will probably always be my home but I think lots of other areas in Oz have good points too. Sydney is an absolutely gorgeous place to visit and would definitely want to live near the harbour if I could afford it. Thanks for your post.

[jim and adel]

It doesn't matter how it works, or are you saying the SA unemployment rates are worked out differently to other states?

 

And if people don't want to work, for whatever reason, they are leaving jobs for others.

 

It doesn't matter how it works? What a bizarre statement. I reckon it matters very much how it works, or people will think that 7% unemployment equals 93% of people employed ...

 

No, I didn't say anwhere that SA unemployment rates are worked out differently; I merely pointed out that the way you showed it was incorrect. Get over it.

 

Jim

[adelaidenow]

The way I showed the stats are factual, the way people interpret them and use them for their benefit of an argument is up to them.

[Guest BurgessFamily]

off topic... I kinda wonder what would happen if you move around the world just for your kids... and they up sticks and move to another country when they become adults... what then?

 

Pinch of salt...

[Guest ali]

OK guys,

 

Time to put in my two-bits worth of self centered ideas regarding this thread. I have been here in Adelaide 10 months (yesterday) and the reason I chose SA over VC was the fact that my skills and experience were highly sought for or that is what the SA government lead me to believe. I have received more than 400 rejection letters in 10 months. Lets try and brainstorm and see what the reasons might be:

 

1-Maybe I'm not qualified (why the hell did AIM successfully assess my qualifications and work experience then?)

2- My name is Ali (I'm not Alison) and I'm Middle Eastern

3- I don't speak English (yeah right)

4- I am migrant (yes I am)

5- I am not an Anglo migrant (correct again)

 

The OP has mentioned some good points here but instead of reading and understanding where he comes from some of you that know better attack his points based only on your experience or the fact that you want SA to stay the same and not to progress just like the conservative councils and government like it. You mention in your posts that part of the reason you like SA is because you like living in acres of land. Fair enough but that doesn't make the problems in the state to go away!

Many have said that they want their children to enjoy childhood here and then decide if they want to stay or not! Now this, this amazes me in a way and since I'm not married and have no children please do not get offended or take me seriously on this issue. If you are so sure to think that once your children are of an age they will move interstate or internationally in search of better job prospects and a lifestyle they can't have here in SA, why stay in SA? I'm only asking and am curious. Why are so many parents sacrificing their lives, youth and jobs just so that their children will enjoy lives just like we did? Are they really? No video games and all?

 

I believe many migrants give SA a go and get used to it. Get used to the suburbs, the slow pace of life and can't imagine and go through another big move interstate. If you like living in SA that is personal but please do not fight the stats and the truth of the state. I've met many people here and they all tell me the same thing. Adelaide has not changed one bit in so many years. Oh yeah, the Fringe is on longer these days!

 

As for me, I'm not happy with the job scene here. After 10 years of top level management I ended up working in a convenience store for 7 months. Was made redundant as they sold and closed down their businesses. Now I'm only working Fridays and Saturdays serving Yiros and cleaning tables. And yes, I'm 35. And before I forget, Middle Easterns gave me both jobs. Now my only hope is a security license that I should get my hands on soon and see if after 10-11 months I can at last get a full time job or not. Friends have told me to forget about the state sponsorship and move to another state. I come from an honor sort of society. I will stay in Adelaide until I get PR and if by then I haven't fallen in love with a girl that wants to stay here or if I haven't made myself financially sound I will bow and say goodbye and good luck to everyone that wants to stay in a state that doesn't want change!

 

Sorry it was long, boring and not like me.

 

Cheers,

 

Ali

[Diane]

Totally see where you are coming from Ali. Just to clarify the query you raised about kids though: Very few places offer everything people want, all in one place. If Adelaide was great for work, then properties would probably cost more, or you'd have to live a lot further away from where you work (as happens to people working in Sydney/Melbourne etc). For our family, moving to Adelaide meant we were able to have a lot more disposable income, and more time to spend with our young kids. We were also able to afford to send them to good schools. When kids are young, this is very important - or it was to us anyway.

 

When they get older, of course they are going to want more than Adelaide can offer them - although Adelaide and SA do have exellent Universities as well as schools. I would have probably been bored stiff here too in my early 20s when I was trying to build a career and wanted a lively buzzing place to do it (in my case, London). So then they can move somewhere else. Once they do that, who knows, we may do the same. I would probably move somewhere that had more international fllights because I love holidays, and again, Adelaide isn't too good for that aspect.

 

So we moved to a place that offered us what we needed/wanted at the time. Cheaper housing, good schooling, shorter commutes. We've both "been there, done that" as far as career building is concerned, and now both just want jobs with ok pay, good hours and a bit of stuff to do in our free time. When I was in my 20s career prospects were important, now they're not so! It's a stage of life thing, and Adelaide, for all its faults (which I'm certainly not blind to) suited/suits us at this stage of our life. When it doesn't we'll find somewhere that does.

[Guest ali]

Totally see where you are coming from Ali. Just to clarify the query you raised about kids though: Very few places offer everything people want, all in one place. If Adelaide was great for work, then properties would probably cost more, or you'd have to live a lot further away from where you work (as happens to people working in Sydney/Melbourne etc). For our family, moving to Adelaide meant we were able to have a lot more disposable income, and more time to spend with our young kids. We were also able to afford to send them to good schools. When kids are young, this is very important - or it was to us anyway.

 

When they get older, of course they are going to want more than Adelaide can offer them - although Adelaide and SA do have exellent Universities as well as schools. I would have probably been bored stiff here too in my early 20s when I was trying to build a career and wanted a lively buzzing place to do it (in my case, London). So then they can move somewhere else. Once they do that, who knows, we may do the same. I would probably move somewhere that had more international fllights because I love holidays, and again, Adelaide isn't too good for that aspect.

 

So we moved to a place that offered us what we needed/wanted at the time. Cheaper housing, good schooling, shorter commutes. We've both "been there, done that" as far as career building is concerned, and now both just want jobs with ok pay, good hours and a bit of stuff to do in our free time. When I was in my 20s career prospects were important, now they're not so! It's a stage of life thing, and Adelaide, for all its faults (which I'm certainly not blind to) suited/suits us at this stage of our life. When it doesn't we'll find somewhere that does.

 

Beautifully said Diane. What you said makes complete sense and thank you for sharing it with me and others.

[Anne B]

Ali, your story makes me sad, disappointed and angry - I remember reading your posts before you got here, and you were so full of hope. I am disappointed that you have struggled to get decent work, and have only been employed by people of a Middle Eastern background - that really is bad. Adelaide can be quite rascist, obviously not everyone is but it is entrenched in some organisations. There is a high proportion of people in the western suburbs of Adelaide of non Anglo-Saxon origin; Italians / Greeks / Yugoslavs / Russians / Indians etc. However, at the company where my husband works he is the only employee with a non Anglo-Saxon surname - they are all Browns, Smiths, Jones etc. That can't be coincidence.

[Petal38]

Hello everyone,

 

Interesting thread .... although I think there are so many variables which can affect individual perspectives of living somewhere - wherever in the world it may be - there will never be a one size fits all view. Diane's recent post really resonated for me on a personal level, and refers to some of the main reasons my husband and I plan to emigrate around this time next year to Adelaide - by then with a very new baby too!

 

We were actually over on a reccie this time last year to activate our PR visas, and after a lot of prior research and network building from the UK, we both spent 2 of our 6 day visit meeting with potential employers and recruitment agencies in our respective fields. Ironically my employment prospects are better in Adelaide than they now are in the north of England, and my husband's are just as good. I've been use to living with bad economic and employment statistics for years now living in Newcastle, but i've still always found decent work in my profession - and appreciate how lucky i've been. But the cost of living in the UK and finding a good job in the North East is getting tougher and tougher, so for me, the prospect of going into a challenging employment market is not so daunting. And in our particular professions, employment prospects are no better or worse in Sydney or Melbourne than in Adelaide. But that's just us .... and of course the quality of life we'll be able to afford in Adelaide, rather than the larger better known cities in Oz appeals to us more. In fact we also had the opportunity of state sponsorship for VIC but decided on SA instead for this reason. Worst case scenario, if things don't work out this way, we'll move after 2 years.

 

Personally i've always preferred to live in a medium size city, but enjoy visiting larger cities - often for work or for a weekend visiting friends/shopping! The proximity of Adelaide to Melbourne and relatively low cost of flying there appeals to me for a city fix, and Sydney isn't too far away either by Oz standards to visit friends there.

 

We both really like Australia - feel ready for a change - and as we fast approach 40, think we're lucky to have such a great opportunity at this stage in our life. We'll do everything we can to make it work for us.

[Petal38]

Hi Ali,

 

I also wanted to say i'm really disappointed to hear your negative employment experiences so far. The Australian economy needs the skills and experience of people from all over the world to increase their global competitiveness - never mind where they are from. I hope things improve for you as you really deserve them to.

 

I also hope you find a lovely lady to fall in love with!

[Keith & Linda]

Ali I really feel for you, all your posts are so inspiring:notworthy:especially as we can all now see how you have been so up against it, but I did find it a little unbelievable that here in Australia that your name can be the difference between getting a job or not, so I set about looking at the company I work for and their employee database, I have to add that I only got through the surnames beginning with A, B, & C !! and came up with this short list of first names, if I was to add non Anlo-saxon surnames names then the list would have at least doubled.

 

Ashraf

Yishak

Kailash

Dewa

Manjunath

Jacinta

Emilian

Marizelle

Renato

Gonzalo

Rodolfo

 

My company is a private national company employing maybe some 1500 people, the above names come from just about all company divisions. we also deal with a host of subcontractors and have never really experienced any discrimination,as such, but there is favouritism, for example if the owner of a company is say Greek, then that company may generally have a higher number of employees with a greek background. From all this I cannot understand as to why Ali as not being able to get a job in his profession, but I can understand as to how he did manage to get some survival work, and I would suspect, but may be wrong, that where he did find work that there are very few workers of Anglo-Saxon origin!

 

Ali I really wish you well and the best of all luck, and that any future Mrs Ali will have every reason to be proud of you!

Keith

Edited August 22, 2013 by Keith & Linda
typo

[adelaidenow]

All I ever read on here is people mentioning tradies who are great because they are poms, or people posting and asking for british workers. Considering the majority of Brits only appear to want to give their countrymen work, why shouldn't the locals do the same?????

 

For the record, I have never seen any hint of workplace racism in my time here.