Understanding low skilled men's access to jobs: An occupational case-study approach

Megan Moskos

Funded by: ARC and Anglicare SA

An often unremarked feature of Australia’s current period of sustained economic and employment growth is the declining labour force participation of prime age men.  This withdrawal of men from the labour force has been particularly marked amongst those with low levels of formal education.  Indeed, by 2001 at least 20% of men in every age group with no post school education were not in the labour force.  The main aim of this project is to understand why men with low formal education are not taking advantage of generally rising employment opportunities.  It proposes research centred around case studies of four types of jobs (defined by occupations and industries) where opportunities are increasing, and that are open to workers with limited formal education.  The aim is to understand what determines whether men are able to gain employment in these jobs.  The case study approach involves interviews with men who might take these jobs, employers, and clients or customers.  The research will:

• Carefully examine where job opportunities for workers with limited formal education have been rising, and how men have been faring in securing these jobs.
• Explore the role of employers’, men’s and clients’ images of the proper performance of jobs, and their actions, in creating barriers and facilitating men’s entry into areas of growing job opportunities.