By Oliver Lees
The jobless rate in Melton remains almost twice that of Victoria despite dropping in the past quarter, according to the latest data.
New labour market data released by the federal government revealed that Melton’s unemployment rate had fallen to 7.8 per cent for the September 2021 quarter, down one per cent from the June quarter.
Both Melton and Melton South maintained an unemployment rate more than 10 per cent, at 11.7 per cent and 11.1 per cent respectively.
The quarterly data paints a picture of gradual improvement in the municipality, as the jobless figure had steadily declined since its peak (9.6 per cent) in December 2020.
The employment figures are representative of a larger trend across the state, as Victoria as a whole saw its jobless rate drop to 4.1 per cent, the lowest it has been since records began in 1978.
But Brimbank and Melton Future Connect executive officer Deirdre Hardy said that Melton jobseekers face unique obstacles in their efforts to find solid employment.
“We’ve seen through COVID-19 that a lot of people are being asked to, or are choosing to work from home,” Ms Hardy said.
“But these types of jobs are typically white collar jobs.
“If people are working entry level jobs or in a trade, there’s no capacity to work, so transport is incredibly important.”
She said the local job market also appeared to be recovering in some crucial sectors.
“We are seeing a lot of jobs in retail, warehousing and those sorts of transport and logistics type roles are picking up really well,” she said.
Ms Hardy said the pandemic had also presented difficulties for Melton’s younger jobseekers, as they’ve missed structured workplace learning opportunities.
Ms Hardy recommended that those looking for work in the Melton community should make use of resources such as the Jobs Victoria Advocates program at Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services.
Details: www.djerriwarrh.org.au
