Young people in Rochdale are spending almost twice as long on the dole than five years ago, according to the latest figures.
Eighteen to 24-year-olds now spend an average of just under a year and a half claiming job seekers' allowance, compared to nine months in December 2004.
The figure is the highest in the north west and means young people in Rochdale are unemployed for eight months longer than the region's average.
Between the end of 2004 and 2008, the number of months young people in Rochdale spent on the dole fluctuated between 8.9 and 11 months.
But by the end of 2009 the figure had rocketed to 17.3 months.
Rochdale Council says the problem has arisen because of the recession, but has been made worse by a lack of skills.
Over the past three months, 125 under-25s have started paid work placements with a further 92 expected to start by the end of March, through the government's Future Jobs Fund, which aims to create 650 jobs across the borough.
Councillor Mohammad Sharif, cabinet member for regeneration on Rochdale Council, said: "Like many areas of the country we've been hit hard by the recession but we're doing all we can to help people.
"There are jobs available but in many cases local people's skills don't fit with what employers are looking for.
"We're working with employers to plan ahead for new jobs being created to make sure people have the qualifications and experience they're looking for.
"In the last three months 217 young people have also been taken on by the council and other local organisations through the Future Jobs Fund."
'Tragedy'
MP Paul Rowen said: "This is a huge tragedy for young people across Rochdale. Labour has failed a whole generation of people and a lot more needs to be done. Young people need practical help as soon as they find themselves out of work with more emphasis on building up a higher lever of skills, opportunities for internships and placements to gain work skills.
"Helping unemployed young people in our borough is something Rochdale Council has been concentrating hard on, through schemes such as the Future Jobs Fund."
But Simon Danczuk, Rochdale's Labour parliamentary candidate, says the council needs to work harder to bring big employers to the town, while improving the town centre so there are more opportunities for young people to find jobs.
He said: "I'm very saddened to see that young people in Rochdale remain unemployed for a lot longer than young people in other council areas.
"The Labour Government has provided £18M through the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, they have put millions into Kingsway Business Park, they have provided New Deal for the unemployed, introduced apprenticeship schemes and recently brought in the Future Jobs Fund - so money and resources have been made available locally.
"The council should have used some of the investment immediately to support independent retailers in the town centre to create jobs."
For more information about training opportunities contact 0300 303 1000 or visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/skills
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Showing comments 1 to 16 and replies | View All
Cheyenne, Rochdale (27/02/2010 at 12:22)
Lynne Brosnan, Rochdale (27/02/2010 at 17:27)
D.Ashworth, Rochdale (27/02/2010 at 20:16)
E K (27/02/2010 at 22:45)
Donnie Tobasco, Rochdale (28/02/2010 at 22:04)
Only people with a short memory will forget the councils continued refusal to allow carcraft to develop at site at the Kingsway park not to mention the complex scenario around De Vere's withdrawel from the site. How many jobs have been cost to the people of rochdale with this poorly run "ghost park"
NordenBloke, Norden (01/03/2010 at 10:40)
MLaw, Milnrow (01/03/2010 at 16:32)
Donnie Tobasco, Rochdale (02/03/2010 at 10:33)
HH Judge Mental, Chavdale. (02/03/2010 at 17:33)
D.Ashworth, Rochdale (02/03/2010 at 20:08)
Choose an area that is in most need of regeneration in the town.
Recruit experienced skilled tradesmen in their 50s as mentors and coaches.
Put a batch of unemployed through a programme of regenerating the selected area under the eye of the skilled tradesmen. If they perform, based on the results of surveyors checking the work, give them a bonus.
At the end of the regeneration scheme they are all employable anywhere in the UK.
Start a new batch on a new area in need of regeneration - and so on.
It won't take work of other businesses as only the areas that are in a mess and in neglect over the years should be targeted. Private enterprise would have got in there if it was interested, so this can't be taking away anyone else's living.
The benefit is that the unemployed get practical skills and a track record to back it up.
The town get a facelift.
We have more employable people who can make a living and stand on their own two feet and provide for themselves and their family.
Surely it can work.
bobby the builder, rochdale (02/03/2010 at 20:56)
But then again why pay for a VERY expensive pooch and bark yourself?
KevinK (03/03/2010 at 14:43)
Dave_H (05/03/2010 at 15:39)
Well, we wouldn't them to go hungry and/or get homesick, would we?
They're doing such a good job mopping up all the untaken jobs that we should rejoice in the fact that all those unemployed chav lads can now work full-time on their paternal skill e.g. pushing a buggy whilst smoking a fag and eating a MaccyDee.
Orb, Rochdale (08/03/2010 at 13:43)
As someone who has recently left the employ of the Jobcentre I can tell you that the vast majority of the youngsters that I was seeing had no qualifications whatsoever - a kid with a few GCSEs was like a shining light in the darkness. A lot of them (not all!) simply didn't care - worst were kids that still lived with parents - no incentives, you see. If I owned a business I certainly wouldn't want to employ them. 40 and 50 year old blokes on the other hand - brilliant! I don't know why ageism allegedly exists in business, but I'd take them on like a shot.
There's also a problem round here with the minimum wage: a 25 year old on Jobseekers allowance gets £64/week - £256/month. Lets say he's in a rented flat and the rent is £75/week and that (plus the council tax) is being paid in housing and council tax benefit. That's a total cost of about £600 a month. That equates to a salary of what - 10 or 11K a year. In all likeliehood the person concerned would be lucky to manage to get a job paying that (which has to cover travel etc too) - so why bother? I might not like it, but that's what's happening.
In a similar vein I have suspicions about some of the people signing on and getting their (often £1000/month) mortgages paid on redundancy insurance....
sonofa tool (08/03/2010 at 16:21)
I often wonder where all the bricklayers, hairstylists, beauty therapists ect that the local collage is churning out and wonder where they are going to go.
Also look at the issue of house prices in the town. Young people are not stupid. They know they have no chance of owning a home, so why slave to enrich those that do?
When house prices both in the town, and nationally fall by at least 50%, ya'all might start to see both the economy of the town improve, along with the economy of the country as a whole. Yes, some folk may lose their shirts financially if this happens, but lets at the greater good of an improved economy.
cheapside resident, middleton (09/03/2010 at 20:27)
Why not fully nationalise the lot without compensation, and then offer everyone over the age of 50 a voluntary package to give up their jobs(and be ineligible for benefits until age 65) with a payoff of £500,000 /It would be far cheaper and free up jobs for the young and help alot of people 50+ ,who are ill and burnt out?
Or is that too simple and controversial for the politicians?