OECD reports on NZ Youth

The OECD has just released a report, Jobs For Youth, New Zealand. Some of it is positive but this is not;

"....there is a hard-core of youth who are at high risk of poor labour market outcomes and social exclusion. Among them are most of the 11% of youth aged 15-24 who are neither in employment nor in education or training. This rate is in line with the OECD average, but it is still much higher than the best-performing countries – notably Denmark, Iceland and the Netherlands – where it stands at 6% or less. Among the hard-core group, Māori and Pasifika youth are more than twice as likely not to be in employment, education or training as Pakeha youth (those of European descent). There is evidence that some of the young people neither in employment nor in education or training in New Zealand find it very difficult to get a job or go back to education. About one-third of youth who were not working or studying in 2003 were in the same situation two years later."

No surprises there. Unfortunately this hard-core group have plenty of time on their hands for making babies. Thus ensuring another generation that will follow in their footsteps. And New Zealand makes this a moral and viable option.