Labour Market 
Assistance Outcomes

Year ending December 2004

This report contains information about placements, commencements and post labour market assistance outcomes achieved for employment services managed by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
Main features
Outcomes	
The positive outcomes (employment and/or education/training) rates achieved in the year to end December 2004, three months after leaving assistance were:
•	74% for Job Placement;
•	64% for Intensive Support job search training;
•	54% for Intensive Support customised assistance;
•	55% for Intensive Support;
•	85% for New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS);
•	41% for Work for the Dole;
•	44% for Community Work Placements;
•	70% for Indigenous Employment Programme Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP);
•	74% for Indigenous Employment Programme Wage Assistance;
•	55% for Transition to Work;
•	42% for Training Accounts; and
•	45% for Training Credits.	

Job Vacancies	
In the year to end December 2004, 2,854,900 vacancies were notified on the Australian Job Search database, of which over 939,600 were lodged by Job Network Members or Job Placement Organisations (including vacancies lodged through the Internet and Teleservicing).	

Job Placements	
In the year to end December 2004, over 630,200 Job Network eligible job seekers were placed into Job Placement vacancies by Job Network Members or Job Placement Organisations.	

Commencements	
In the year to 31 December 2004, commencements in the various types of labour market assistance included:
•	570,800 in Job Search Support;
•	413,300 in Intensive Support;
•	6,600 in NEIS;
•	7,800 in the STEP and Wage Assistance elements of the Indigenous Employment Programme;
•	79,300 in Work for the Dole; 
•	4,400 in Community Work Placement;
•	12,500 in Transition to Work; and
•	53,800 in the Training Accounts and Credits.	

Income Support	
In the year to end December 2004, the number of job seekers in receipt of Newstart or Youth Allowance (Other) decreased by almost 25,700 to around 590,000 job seekers.  The number of job seekers who were long-term recipients (ie on allowances for 12 months or more) decreased by just under 18,700 to around 354,300 while the number of short-term recipients decreased by over 7,000 to just over 235,800.	

In this issue	
Changes to the Employment Services Market 	Page 3
In this report… 	Page 3
Section 1: Labour Market Assistance Outcomes	Page 4
Table 1.1 Post assistance labour market outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 4
Table 1.2 Post assistance employment and positive outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 5
Table 1.3 Intensive Support: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 6
Table 1.4 Intensive Support customised assistance: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004 	Page 7
Table 1.5 Intensive Support job search training: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 8
Table 1.6 Job Placement: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 9
Table 1.7 New Enterprise Incentive Scheme: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 10
Table 1.8 Work for the Dole: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 2004	Page 11
Section 2: Trends in outcomes for Labour Market Assistance 	Page 12
Figure 2.1 Positive outcome trends for Job Network and Work for the Dole services 2000 – 2004	Page 12
Figure 2.2 Indigenous employment outcomes and programme places 1994 – 2004	Page 13
Figure 2.3 Indigenous employment outcomes 1999 – 2004	Page 13
Figure 2.4 TAP and IEP employment outcomes and programme places 1994 – 2004	Page 14
Figure 2.5 STEP and Wage Assistance employment and positive outcomes 2000 – 2004	Page 14
Section 3: Access to and Participation in Labour Market Assistance	Page 15
Table 3.1 Participation by type of labour market assistance in each of the past two years	Page 15
Table 3.2 Participation in Job Network assistance by job seeker characteristics: December 2004	Page 16
Table 3.3 AJS Vacancies and Job Placements by industry and ASCO codes: December 2004	Page 17
Table 3.4 Access to NEIS by job seeker characteristics year to end December 2004	Page 18
Table 3.5 Access to Work for the Dole by job seeker characteristics year to end December 2004	Page 19
Section 4: Participation and Outcomes by Region	Page 20
Table 4.1 Commencements in labour market assistance by region: December 2004	Page 20
Table 4.2 Job Placements by region: December 2004	Page 21
Table 4.3 Regional labour market post assistance employment outcomes year to end December 2004 	Page 22
Section 5: Impact on Income Support Recipients	Page 23
Figure 5.1 Number of income support recipients 	Page 23
Figure 5.2 Three and six month off-benefit status of job seekers following assistance 	Page 24
Technical Notes	Page 25	
Time periods used in this report	
The Department’s Post Programme Monitoring (PPM) Survey measures outcomes achieved by job seekers three months after they exit labour market assistance.  This report contains outcomes data for job seekers who exited assistance in the 12 months to 30 September 2004 and their post assistance outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.  
Intensive Support post assistance outcomes should not be confused with paid interim or paid final outcomes.  Post assistance outcomes are all employment and education outcomes while paid outcomes relate to a subset of employment and education outcomes where Job Network members receive payment for outcomes. 
Commencement and placement data, derived from DEWR and Centrelink administrative systems, relate to job seekers who were placed in a job or commenced labour market assistance between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2004 and 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2003.  	
	
More information……	
For further information, please contact Michael Cameron (02 6121 7240) or e-mail cedric.seveque@dewr.gov.au.
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Department of Employment and Workplace Relations 
http://www.workplace.gov.au/	

Changes to the Employment Services Market

The Active Participation Model
On 1 July 2003, significant changes were introduced to the employment services market.  The Active Participation Model (announced in the 2002–03 Budget), provides on-going customised service to job seekers and has a number of innovative features, such as a Job Seeker Account to fund preparation of job seekers for work. 
Participation in the Active Participation Model
On registration with Centrelink, each eligible job seeker is referred to a single Job Network member who will provide services to them while they remain eligible for assistance.  Two services are delivered by all Job Network members under the Active Participation Model:
•	Job Search Support; and
•	Intensive Support.
Job Search Support services are available to all eligible job seekers immediately upon registration by Centrelink or a Job Network member and continue until the job seeker leaves employment services.  On first contact with their Job Network member, job seekers have their vocational profile entered into the JobSearch database for daily matching against new job vacancies.  Job seekers also have access to a range of other job search facilities such as touchscreens, computers and faxes as well as assistance in the preparation of job applications.
If an eligible job seeker has not found work within the first three months of Job Search Support, their Job Network member will arrange for them to participate in Intensive Support.  Job search training is the first element of Intensive Support.  It assists job seekers to obtain employment through individually tailored assistance that is designed to improve their job search skills, confidence and expand their job search networks.
After six months of unemployment (and periodically thereafter), most activity-tested job seekers will be required to fulfil a Mutual Obligation requirement.  During these periods, job seekers will remain in Intensive Support and it will be the responsibility of their Job Network member to ensure that they continue to be actively engaged in job search activities and improving their job prospects.  
Job seekers who have been unemployed for at least 12 months or are identified by Centrelink as being highly disadvantaged at registration will receive Intensive Support customised assistance.  Over a six month period this service provides customised assistance to address individual barriers to employment and tailor the job seeker’s efforts in looking for work.  In Intensive Support customised assistance, a job seeker’s Job Network member will have up to $1,350 credited to their Job Seeker Account for the purchase of services and products to assist them to find employment.
Results for Active Participation Model assistance
Results for the employment services provided under the Active Participation Model have progressively become available.  Reliable outcomes estimates cannot be produced until a sufficient number of clients have received assistance and subsequently been surveyed.  Results for Job Placement and Intensive Support job search training have been published onwards from the June 2004 edition Labour Market Assistance Outcomes.  Intensive Support customised assistance outcome results have been published in reports from September 2004 with outcomes for the Intensive Support stream of assistance reported for the first time in this edition of Labour Market Assistance Outcomes.   

In this report….

Results for Intensive Support are reported for the first time.  Here Intensive Support refers to assistance received throughout the whole stream of Intensive Support.  As a result, the in-scope Intensive Support population is derived slightly differently to the discrete phases of APM assistance.  This is explained in the technical notes at the end of the report.  Results are also reported for trends in outcomes from Labour Market Assistance.  
There are limitations to which outcomes from Active Participation Model assistance can be compared to previous forms of Job Network assistance.  These are also outlined in the technical notes.

Section 1: Labour Market Assistance Outcomes

Post assistance labour market outcomes
Table 1.1 shows labour market outcomes and further assistance levels of all job seekers three months after leaving the various types of employment assistance.  
Employment outcomes for Intensive Support are promising.  Slightly higher than that achieved by Intensive Support customised assistance, but not as high as that achieved by Intensive Support job search training, the outcomes reflect the level of disadvantaged experienced by job seekers in Intensive Support as a whole.  
Job seekers are categorised as employed, unemployed or not in the labour force.  A proportion of these clients are also recorded as being in further assistance.
In editions of Labour Market Assistance Outcomes pre-June 2004, employment, unemployment, not in the labour force and further assistance outcomes were recorded as being mutually exclusive outcomes (ie. they added up to 100%).
As jobseekers are continuously in assistance under the Active Participation Model, clients in further assistance are surveyed and their responses are used to determine their labour market status.  Care should also be taken when comparing outcomes for current services with similar Job Network services delivered prior to the introduction of the APM.
The Technical Notes at the end of this report discuss these issues further.

Table 1.1: Post assistance1 labour market outcomes year to end December 2004

Labour market assistance	
Employed
(%)	
Unemployed
(%)	Not in the Labour Force
(%)	Further Assistance2
(%)	
Exits
(number)	
Job Placement	70.4	24.9	4.7	na	118,396	
Job Network eligible (JNE)	65.9	29.2	4.9	na	66,006	
Job Search Support Only (JSSO)	77.0	18.6	4.4	na	52,390	
Intensive Support	47.2	43.9	9.0	3.5	292,883	
Intensive Support job search training	54.4	39.4	6.2	2.5	154,993	
Intensive Support customised assistance	44.5	45.8	9.8	6.4	256,820	
Non highly-disadvantaged	48.7	43.3	8.1	7.1	167,658	
Highly disadvantaged	36.3	50.5	13.2	5.2	89,162	
NEIS	84.0	10.7	5.4	1.3	6,132	
Work for the Dole	31.7	59.6	8.7	33.3	73,322	
Community Work	31.3	56.9	11.8	34.4	4,327	
IEP - STEP	61.0	30.0	8.9	11.3	3,613	
IEP - Wage Assistance	71.8	22.9	5.3	19.4	2,717	
Transition to Work	37.6	39.6	22.8	7.9	13,643	
Training Accounts	30.0	63.9	6.1	11.5	73,107	
Training Credits	30.3	63.2	6.6	27.6	34,072	

1.	Post assistance outcomes are measured three months after the job seeker ceases assistance and relate to job seekers who became in-scope for the Intensive Support population or who ceased Intensive Support customised assistance, Intensive Support job search training, New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS), Work for the Dole, Community Work, Transition to Work, Indigenous Employment Programme (IEP), Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP) and IEP Wage Assistance or achieved an eligible Job Network placement between 
1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004.  Employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
2.	Further assistance includes commencements in DEWR funded labour market assistance.  Job seekers who do not achieve an employment outcome are treated as either unemployed or not in the labour force. 

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Post assistance employment and positive outcomes
Table 1.2 shows job seekers’ shares of full-time and part-time employment, education/training and positive outcomes three months after leaving different types of labour market assistance.
Education and training outcomes include job seekers who are studying at a secondary school or college, TAFE, business college or university three months after ceasing labour market assistance. 
Positive outcome rates for Intensive Support are encouraging with over half of the participants in employment and/or education three months after leaving assistance.  Again the results for Intensive Support are located between those achieved by Intensive Support customised assistance and Intensive Support job search training.  
Moreover, outcomes for the suite of Job Network services indicate that the changes introduced with the Active Participation Model are having a positive effect.  Positive outcome levels for each of the services are at least maintaining, if not increasing that was achieved by the services that they superseded.  

Table 1.2: Post assistance1 employment and positive outcomes year to end December 2004

Labour market assistance	Full-time Employed
(%)	Part-time Employed
(%)	Total
Employed2
(%)	Education & Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	
Exits
(number)	
Job Placement	43.7	26.8	70.4	13.6	74.4	118,396	
Job Network eligible (JNE)	40.4	25.4	65.9	12.4	70.0	66,006	
Job Search Support Only (JSSO)	48.4	28.7	77.0	15.5	80.9	52,390	
Intensive Support	17.4	29.8	47.2	11.3	55.2	292,883	
Intensive Support job search training	25.4	29.0	54.4	14.8	63.8	154,993	
Intensive Support customised assistance	16.5	28.0	44.5	12.2	53.7	256,820	
Non highly-disadvantaged	18.6	30.1	48.7	11.9	57.4	167,658	
Highly disadvantaged	12.3	24.0	36.3	12.6	46.5	89,162	
NEIS	49.3	34.7	84.0	8.2	85.2	6,132	
Work for the Dole	15.5	16.2	31.7	12.3	41.2	73,322	
Community Work	11.3	20.0	31.3	16.5	43.8	4,327	
IEP - STEP	46.1	14.9	61.0	28.7	69.7	3,613	
IEP - Wage Assistance	51.9	19.9	71.8	21.1	73.7	2,717	
Transition to Work	6.0	31.6	37.6	23.7	54.6	13,643	
Training Accounts	11.2	18.8	30.0	15.4	42.0	73,107	
Training Credits	12.5	17.8	30.3	20.0	44.8	34,072	

1.	Post assistance outcomes are measured three months after the job seeker ceases assistance and relate to job seekers who became in-scope for the Intensive Support population or who ceased Intensive Support customised assistance, Intensive Support job search training, New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS), Work for the Dole, Community Work, Transition to Work, Indigenous Employment Programme (IEP), Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP) and IEP Wage Assistance or achieved an eligible Job Network placement between 
1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004.   
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes.  Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education outcome.  Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Intensive Support
Table 1.3 reports the post assistance outcomes achieved by the in-scope population for Intensive Support, who commenced assistance between 1 April 2003 and 30 September 2003 and became in-scope for survey between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved three months later, up to 31 December 2004.  

The in-scope population includes: those who exited Intensive Support; began a payable outcome period; or reached twelve months of participation in APM in the twelve months to 30 September 2004.  See technical notes for further details on the in-scope population.
As expected, outcomes for the Intensive Support stream of assistance lie between outcomes achieved for the phases reported, reflecting the relative level of disadvantaged experienced.  

Table 1.3: Intensive Support: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	In-scope population3
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	
Full-time
(%)	
Part-time
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	20.3	26.9	47.1	14.4	57.4	48,795	
21 to 24	21.7	30.1	51.8	14.1	60.9	43,606	
25 to 34	20.1	29.4	49.5	11.7	57.7	67,880	
35 to 49	16.0	31.9	47.9	10.8	55.7	86,009	
50 or more	12.4	28.8	41.2	8.3	47.7	46,593	
Duration on income support (months) 						
0 to less than 6	24.0	29.9	53.9	12.4	62.2	102,319	
6 to less than 12	18.5	30.9	49.4	12.8	58.4	32,248	
12 to less than 24	16.0	30.5	46.6	11.7	55.2	45,420	
24 to less than 36	14.3	30.4	44.7	9.9	51.9	25,400	
36 or more	9.6	28.9	38.5	9.6	45.9	75,040	
Educational attainment 							
Less than Year 10	12.9	24.9	37.7	7.4	43.8	62,539	
Year 10 or 11	16.6	29.8	46.4	8.6	52.8	110,002	
Year 12	20.0	32.8	52.9	15.6	63.4	56,392	
Post Secondary	20.5	32.1	52.7	14.9	62.7	57,403	
Unknown	20.5	29.5	50.0	17.3	62.4	6,547	
Gender							
Males	19.6	25.5	45.1	8.8	51.8	195,175	
Females	13.3	37.3	50.6	15.5	61.1	97,708	
Equity Groups3							
Disability	12.0	27.7	39.8	9.9	47.4	24,453	
Indigenous	14.1	17.9	32.0	10.1	39.6	21,056	
CALD4	16.1	26.8	42.9	16.1	56.1	46,921	
Sole Parents	11.8	41.0	52.8	15.0	62.6	9,982	
Total	17.4	29.8	47.2	11.3	55.2	292,883	
1.	Job seekers who commenced Intensive Support between 1 April and 30 September 2003 and left Intensive Support or were receiving Intensive Support assistance for 12 months between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.  The commencement period is limited to ensure that only those participants that could have reached 12 months participation in Intensive Support are included in the in-scope sample.
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
3.	See the technical notes at the end of the report for a definition of the in-scope population. 
4.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
5.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.
Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Intensive Support customised assistance
Table 1.4 shows the post assistance outcomes achieved by those who left Intensive Support customised assistance between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved three months later, up to 31 December 2004.  
Outcomes for Intensive Support customised assistance remain strong.  Encouragingly, young job seekers are achieving higher levels of full-time employment than that achieved overall.  Along with solid education outcomes, young job seekers are benefiting from the assistance provided.   

Table 1.4: Intensive Support customised assistance: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	Exits
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	
Full-time
(%)	
Part-time
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Disadvantage status							
Non-highly disadvantaged3	18.6	30.1	48.7	11.9	57.4	167,658	
Highly disadvantaged4	12.3	24.0	36.3	12.6	46.5	89,162	
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	19.2	25.4	44.6	15.2	56.2	43,436	
21 to 24	19.2	28.0	47.3	15.0	58.3	37,945	
25 to 34	18.4	27.4	45.8	13.0	55.3	60,173	
35 to 49	15.2	29.6	44.7	11.9	53.9	77,167	
50 or more	12.8	28.3	41.1	8.7	47.9	38,099	
Duration on income support (months) 		
0 to less than 6	21.6	26.6	48.2	12.0	57.6	52,026	
6 to less than 12	20.1	32.4	52.4	12.7	61.2	38,797	
12 to less than 24	18.4	28.8	47.3	13.8	57.8	57,676	
24 to less than 36	14.6	27.9	42.5	12.5	52.1	30,241	
36 or more	9.9	25.6	35.5	10.7	44.2	73,273	
Educational attainment 							
Less than Year 10	12.6	22.7	35.3	9.1	42.9	55,849	
Year 10 or 11	16.0	26.9	42.9	9.5	50.3	94,317	
Year 12	19.1	30.8	50.0	16.7	62.3	42,533	
Post Secondary	20.0	31.5	51.5	16.2	63.4	53,571	
Unknown	14.6	24.6	39.1	11.5	48.0	10,550	
Gender							
Males	18.8	24.0	42.8	9.7	50.5	166,062	
Females	12.6	34.7	47.3	16.2	59.1	90,758	
Equity Groups5							
Disability	12.0	25.8	37.8	11.0	46.5	26,534	
Indigenous	15.2	17.3	32.5	10.4	40.9	30,631	
CALD6	15.7	25.5	41.1	17.5	56.1	39,023	
Sole Parents	11.0	40.2	51.2	14.9	61.4	14,171	
Total	16.5	28.0	44.5	12.2	53.7	256,820	
1.	Job seekers who left Intensive Support customised assistance between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 
31 December 2004.
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
3.	Job seeker who had a JSCI score of 22 or less and would have access to customised assistance at 12 months unemployment.  
4.	Job seeker who had a JSCI score of 23 or above at time of registration and had access to customised assistance immediately
5.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
6.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.
Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance. 

Intensive Support job search training
Table 1.5 shows the post assistance outcomes achieved by those who left the Intensive Support job search training between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved three months later, up to 31 December 2004.  
Post assistance outcomes for Intensive Support job search training participants by duration on allowance are not provided because almost all participants will access job search training immediately on their entry to the Intensive Support stream of assistance – which usually occurs at the three month mark of unemployment.  
Positive outcomes for Intensive Support job search training continue to rise, with around 64% of participants in employment and/or education three months after leaving assistance.  Encouragingly, over half of the participants are employed three months after completing their placement.  

Table 1.5: Intensive Support job search training: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	Exits
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	
Full-time
(%)	
Part-time
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	23.0	29.8	52.8	19.6	65.3	35,856	
21 to 24	27.9	31.1	59.0	18.0	69.7	31,259	
25 to 34	28.7	28.9	57.5	13.6	66.1	38,833	
35 to 49	25.9	28.5	54.4	12.8	62.7	33,700	
50 or more	19.8	27.5	47.3	9.2	53.4	15,345	
Educational attainment							
Less than Year 10	21.7	23.5	45.2	8.4	52.0	10,922	
Year 10 or 11	23.2	26.4	49.6	10.4	56.9	42,009	
Year 12	24.6	31.3	56.0	19.7	67.5	34,240	
Post Secondary	27.5	30.1	57.7	15.9	67.4	66,424	
Unknown	23.1	23.9	47.1	14.7	56.2	1,398	
Gender							
Males	28.6	23.9	52.5	12.1	60.7	95,924	
Females	20.7	36.5	57.3	18.6	68.3	59,069	
Equity Groups3							
Disability	19.9	24.1	44.0	12.7	52.8	3,237	
Indigenous	24.7	23.2	47.9	13.3	57.4	2,190	
CALD4	22.7	24.9	47.6	20.8	62.6	22,116	
Sole Parents	16.8	40.1	56.9	13.8	64.6	3,373	
Total	25.4	29.0	54.4	14.8	63.8	154,993	

1.	Job seekers who left Intensive Support job search training placements between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
3.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
4.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Job Placement
Table 1.6 shows the post assistance outcomes achieved by those who attained a Job Placement between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved three months later, up to 31 December 2004.  
Positive outcomes for Job Placements remain high at nearly 75 percent.  Particularly positive are the strong outcomes achieved by Sole Parents which are not as reliant on education outcomes as for other programmes.  

Table 1.6: Job Placements: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	Exits
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	
Full-time
(%)	
Part-time
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	46.0	25.2	71.2	24.9	77.5	32,754	
21 to 24	44.1	25.0	69.1	14.6	73.6	19,785	
25 to 34	45.2	26.1	71.3	10.1	74.5	29,925	
35 to 49	42.4	28.7	71.0	8.1	73.8	27,320	
50 or more	37.6	29.3	66.9	6.2	69.6	8,612	
Duration on income support (months) 3		
0 to less than 6	46.7	25.1	71.8	14.0	76.2	34,595	
6 to less than 12	37.2	28.1	65.3	11.5	68.7	10,431	
12 to less than 24	35.2	23.9	59.0	12.1	63.0	8,135	
24 to less than 36	32.5	23.2	55.7	10.6	60.1	4,476	
36 or more	27.4	26.1	53.5	7.9	57.1	8,369	
Educational attainment 3							
Less than Year 10	34.4	19.2	53.5	7.3	57.2	7,721	
Year 10 or 11	37.3	24.0	61.3	9.7	65.0	21,771	
Year 12	42.8	27.0	69.8	19.5	75.5	12,651	
Post Secondary	45.4	25.1	70.4	11.7	74.3	18,208	
Unknown	33.4	32.4	66.2	14.6	69.7	5,655	
Gender							
Males	50.3	17.9	68.2	11.5	72.1	75,930	
Females	34.3	39.3	73.6	16.6	77.8	42,466	
Equity Groups3							
Disability	28.2	25.8	54.1	7.7	57.6	5,169	
Indigenous	41.3	12.1	53.3	9.5	57.1	2,727	
CALD4	37.7	22.0	59.8	11.9	66.7	6,084	
Sole Parents	26.8	41.8	68.6	10.9	72.9	3,091	
Job Network eligible (FJNE) 5	40.4	25.4	65.9	12.4	70.0	66,006	
Job Search Support Only (JSSO) 6	48.4	28.7	77.0	15.5	80.9	52,390	
Total	43.7	26.8	70.4	13.6	74.4	118,396	
1.	Job seekers who were placed in a Job Network eligible job between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 
31 December 2004.  For job seekers who achieved a Job Placement within three months of leaving labour market assistance such as Intensive Support job search training, Intensive Support customised assistance and Work for the Dole, the outcome is excluded from Job Placement but included under the programme or service they participated in. Outcomes estimates are based on a 25% sample of job seekers.
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
3.	Outcomes refer to Fully Job Network Eligible (FJNE) job seekers only as educational attainment and equity group details are not recorded for Job Search Support Only (JSSO) and JSSO job seekers are not on income support.  Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
4.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.
5.	Includes Fully Job Network Eligible (FJNE) job seekers who may be eligible for other Job Network services.
6.	Includes Job Search Support Only (JSSO) job seekers who are only eligible for Job Search Support services.  
Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

New Enterprise Incentive Scheme
Table 1.7 shows the post assistance outcomes achieved by those who left the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved three months later, up to 31 December 2004.  
Traditionally NEIS has always experienced higher outcomes compared to other types of labour market assistance.  This is due in part to the careful selection of viable businesses by NEIS providers prior to the commencement in assistance, as well as the characteristics of job seekers involved.
Positive outcome levels for NEIS following the implementation of the Active Participation Model have continued to trend slightly upwards.  Outcomes for the equity group clients in particular are positive, reflecting the broad appeal and success of the NEIS programme. 

Table 1.7: New Enterprise Incentive Scheme: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes3
(%)	Exits
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	Self Employed2
(%)	
Employed
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	na	na	na	na	na	na	
21 to 24	59.7	21.1	80.8	17.5	85.8	507	
25 to 34	74.9	12.6	87.5	8.9	87.9	2,075	
35 to 49	67.8	13.5	81.3	6.8	83.0	2,598	
50 or more	71.8	13.9	85.7	6.7	86.0	859	
Duration on income support (months)		
0 to less than 6	74.0	16.1	90.1	9.2	90.6	2,880	
6 to less than 12	71.4	12.5	83.9	10.5	87.1	1,198	
12 to less than 24	62.6	14.0	76.5	5.3	77.4	871	
24 to less than 36	na	na	na	na	na	na	
36 or more	62.9	7.7	70.6	4.9	72.2	703	
Educational attainment							
Less than Year 10	na	na	na	na	na	na	
Year 10 or 11	72.8	13.4	86.1	3.8	86.4	1,235	
Year 12	71.6	11.8	83.5	5.8	84.5	1,145	
Post Secondary	71.0	12.7	83.7	10.7	85.7	3,164	
Gender							
Males	72.1	13.2	85.3	7.0	87.1	3,460	
Females	67.3	14.8	82.1	9.6	82.8	2,672	
Equity Groups4							
Disability	65.7	9.9	75.6	10.5	77.1	507	
Indigenous	na	na	na	na	na	na	
CALD5	69.9	15.1	85.0	10.3	87.4	1,026	
Sole Parents	60.8	16.4	77.3	12.6	80.1	357	
Total	70.0	14.0	84.0	8.2	85.2	6,132	
1.	Job seekers who left NEIS placements between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.
2.	Includes a small proportion of participants who are self employed but in a business not set up under NEIS. 
3.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
4.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
5.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.
na	Not available as the estimate is based on a small number of known outcomes.

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Work for the Dole
The Work for the Dole (WfD) Programme aims to develop the work habits of participants through involving them in quality projects that are of value to the community.  Employment outcomes are not part of the programme’s immediate objectives but are included here as they demonstrate the success of work experience and increased job search activity.  
Outcomes relate to WfD participants referred to Community Work Coordinators (CWC).  
Job seekers are required to participate in WfD for up to six months over a twelve month period.  This means that job seekers can participate in a number of projects with different CWCs before completing their placement.  For the purposes of PPM, job seekers are surveyed whenever they have a break between CWC placements of more than 3 months since their last CWC placement in a twelve month period.  Job seekers aged 50 years or more who participate in Work for the Dole are volunteers. 
It should be noted that outcomes levels may change under the APM from pre-APM levels due to changes in the PPM survey methodology.  See the technical notes for more information.

Table 1.8: Work for the Dole: Post assistance outcomes year to end December 20041
	Employment	Education& Training
(%)	Positive Outcomes2
(%)	Exits
(number)	

Job seeker characteristics	
Full-time
(%)	
Part-time
(%)	Total Employed
(%)				
Age Group (years)							
15 to 20	16.0	17.6	33.6	17.0	47.1	10,073	
21 to 24	17.4	17.4	34.9	15.5	46.8	15,961	
25 to 34	17.3	17.1	34.3	11.6	42.4	23,502	
35 to 49	13.6	15.0	28.6	10.0	36.9	22,091	
50 or more	10.0	14.4	24.4	11.6	33.4	1,695	
Duration on income support (months) 		
0 to less than 6	25.1	17.8	42.9	13.4	52.7	8,178	
6 to less than 12	21.1	17.7	38.8	14.9	49.5	17,457	
12 to less than 24	14.5	19.2	33.6	13.4	43.6	12,139	
24 to less than 36	15.6	17.6	33.3	11.6	42.1	9,247	
36 or more	9.5	13.4	22.9	10.1	31.7	26,198	
Educational attainment 							
Less than Year 10	11.5	11.4	22.8	7.0	29.0	14,403	
Year 10 or 11	14.6	15.2	29.8	10.0	38.2	29,146	
Year 12	16.4	20.3	36.7	16.1	48.3	15,143	
Post Secondary	18.5	18.0	36.5	16.6	48.9	12,717	
Unknown	24.7	20.5	45.1	14.6	54.0	1,913	
Gender							
Males	17.7	13.8	31.5	10.1	39.6	52,993	
Females	10.4	21.8	32.2	17.3	45.1	20,329	
Equity Groups3							
Disability	11.4	12.9	24.3	11.3	33.6	6,574	
Indigenous	8.6	10.6	19.2	12.5	30.4	4,353	
CALD4	15.7	16.4	32.1	15.6	44.2	9,034	
Sole Parents	10.0	24.3	34.3	14.7	44.6	1,163	
Total	15.5	16.2	31.7	12.3	41.2	73,322	
1.	Job seekers who left a Work for the Dole project between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.
2.	Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes. Positive outcomes are less than the sum of employment and education/training outcomes because some job seekers achieve both an employment and an education/training outcome. Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.
3.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
4.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Section 2: Trends in outcomes for Labour Market Assistance

An important measure of the effectiveness of employment assistance is the long-term trend in outcomes.  It provides an assessment of whether over the period of operation of an intervention the service providers have developed effective servicing strategies.
These outcomes can be influenced by a range of exogenous factors such as the strength of the labour market, general shifts in the economy and other shocks to the economy.  
Similarly it would be expected that in the period following the introduction of a new intervention, outcomes will increase at a faster rate than interventions that have been in place for a longer period of time, as servicing strategies are improved.  
Figure 2.1 below, provides positive outcome results for the main employment services provided over the last five years (from March 2001).  For those interventions superseded by Active Participation Model assistance the services they superseded are also included.  There is a break in the series of between three and five quarter during the transition from ESC2 to ESC3 for these interventions.  This was due to the fact that there were insufficient PPM survey responses to provide for robust outcome estimates.
It can be seen from Figure 2.1, that outcomes for the suite of Job Network and Work for the Dole services have continued to trend up from the outcomes achieved under ESC2.  In particular, strong growth is evident for Intensive Support job search training and Work for the Dole.  This growth reflects longer-term trends in outcomes for these programmes.  
Some of this growth can also be attributed to changes to the methodology used for the Post Programme Monitoring survey.  See the technical notes at the end of this report for further information.

Figure 2.1:  has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

1.  Positive outcomes for: Job Matching/Job Placement (JM/JP); Job Search Training/Intensive Support job search training (JST/ISjst); Intensive Assistance/Intensive Support customised assistance (IA/ISca); New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS); and Work for the Dole (WfD) for Post Programme Monitoring outcomes from March 2001 to December 2004.  Positive outcomes include employment and education/training outcomes.  Positive outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.

Model of labour market assistance
Longer-term comparisons also provide opportunities to assess performance against different models of assistance.  Whilst exogenous factors limit direct comparisons, the results are nevertheless informative in looking at the relative performance of different models of assistance.  One of the department’s key target groups is Indigenous job seekers.  Outcomes for Indigenous job seekers from both mainstream and specialist services (delivered through the Indigenous Employment programme [IEP]) have trended upwards, particularly following the implementation of the APM 
Figure 2.2 shows Indigenous programme places and outcomes over time.  The introduction of APM in July 2003 has seen a large increase in outcomes and programme places.  The rise in outcomes reflects both the increase in programme places and the effectiveness of the programmes in terms of percentage outcomes.
Figure 2.3 provides a breakdown of outcomes between IEP and the Job Network/WfD.  As can be seen, mainstream programmes such as the Job Network are driving the improvements in outcomes.
Nevertheless, Figure 2.4 shows that the IEP is also making a significant contribution, with outcomes levels substantially higher than under the Training for Aboriginal People (TAP) –which was replaced by the IEP.  IEP has also seen a fall in the cost per employment outcome from around $30,000 per employment outcomes under TAP to around $7,000 currently under IEP.
Figure 2.5 demonstrates the success of the elements of the IEP in sustaining the placements that it achieves.  Both STEP and Wage Assistance have generally maintained employment rates well over 50%.

Figure 2.2:  has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

Source:	DEWR administrative and Post-Programme Monitoring survey data

Figure 2.3:  has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

Source:	DEWR administrative and Post-Programme Monitoring survey data

Figure 2.4:  has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

Source:	DEWR administrative and Post-Programme Monitoring survey data

Figure 2.5:  has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

Source:	DEWR administrative and Post-Programme Monitoring survey data

Section 3: Access to and Participation in Labour Market Assistance

Type of labour market assistance
Table 3.1 shows the commencements in employment assistance for the year to end December 2003 and the year to end December 2004.  
The Table also shows the proportion of commencements by job seekers who had been receiving income support [Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other)] for 12 months or more 
(ie long-term unemployed).
For the year to end December 2003, commencements for Job Search Support, Intensive Support and Job Placement relate to the six months to December 2003 following the introduction of the Active Participation Model (APM).  Commencement numbers for Job Search Support and Intensive Support for this six month period are significantly higher than would be expected due to the transition of the stock of job seekers at the start of the APM.  The commencements for the year to December 2004 are not affected by the impact of the transition.
Participation in the job search training and customised assistance phases of the Intensive Support stream are presented.  It is possible for a job seeker to participate in both the job search training and customised assistance phases of assistance within a twelve month period.  As such, care should be taken when comparing the commencement numbers for the phases of assistance with the total number of commencements in Intensive Support.  
Notwithstanding this, it is evident that over half of the people who participated in Intensive Support in the year to December 2004 received customised assistance.  This is a higher proportion than for the year to December 2003, reflecting the impact of the transition and the duration of benefit eligibility requirements for customised assistance.  

Table 3.1: Participation by type of labour market assistance in each of the past two years1
	Year to end December 2003	Year to end December 2004	
Labour market assistance	Commencements
(number)	Proportion of long term recipients2
(%)	Commencements
(number)	Proportion of long term recipients2
(%)	
Job Search Support3	714,175	na	570,884	na	
Intensive Support4	369,951	na	413,300	na	
	job search training	66,198	na	157,851	na	
	customised assistance	167,889	na	255,291	na	
Job Placement	221,101	36.6	630,237	45.7	
NEIS	6,389	27.7	6,632	26.1	
Work for the Dole	67,842	68.0	79,297	67.4	
IEP – STEP	4,665	39.3	4,895	47.7	
IEP - Wage Assistance	2,437	45.3	2,946	44.5	
Community Work Placements	4,355	67.4	4,418	75.2	
Transition to Work	11,056	29.4	12,502	35.2	
Training Accounts 	19,860	na	39,368	na	
Training Credits	13,289	na	14,419	na	
1.	Commencement or placement of job seekers in labour market assistance funded by DEWR for the two years of 1 January 2003 to 
31 December 2003 and 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.  
2.	The proportion of activity or non-activity tested job seekers who have been registered as unemployed for twelve months or more.   
3.	Job seekers with a registered Vocational Profile in the year up to 31 December 2004.  
4.	Job seekers who commenced any phase of assistance within the Intensive Support stream.
na 	not available.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Participation in Job Network assistance
Access to services and programmes by job seekers with different characteristics will depend on their eligibility and on their assessed capacity to benefit from the assistance provided.
Job seekers with particular characteristics may be under-represented in some types of assistance but over-represented in others. Hence, it is important to look at all types of assistance in assessing equity of assistance.  
Table 3.2 shows, for the range of Job Network services, the job seeker characteristics of those who received assistance in the year up to 31 December 2004.  Also shown is the demographic distribution of the Newstart and Youth Allowance (other) population, at 31 December 2004.
The proportion of short-term unemployed job seekers (i.e. on income support for less than six months) in Job Search Support is influenced by the proportion of Job Search Support Only job seekers who have had a Vocational Profile done, but may not be on income support.  
It is evident that those job seekers whose highest completed level of education was less than Year 10, whilst making the greatest proportion of eligible job seekers have the lowest level of participation in employment assistance.  Job seekers with a disability are also less likely to participate in assistance than the other equity groups.  This in part can be explained by the fact that they are more likely to be on exemptions.

Table 3.2: Participation in Job Network assistance by job seeker characteristics: December 20041
	Newstart/Youth Allowance (other) recipients 	Employment Assistance type	
Job seeker characteristics		Job Search 
Support2
(%)	Job 
Placement3
 (%)	Intensive 
Support
(%)	
Age group (years)					
15 to 20 	14.3	23.5	20.1	23.7	
21 to 24	16.9	15.5	17.5	17.2	
25 to 34	24.1	23.8	25.7	23.3	
35 to 49	26.5	25.4	26.0	24.0	
50 or more	18.2	11.7	10.6	11.8	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Duration on income support (months)					
0 to less than 6	28.3	80.4	36.7	57.0	
6 to less than 12	15.4	4.8	17.6	12.1	
12 to less than 24	17.6	6.6	19.1	12.6	
24 to less than 36	9.9	3.1	9.4	6.3	
36 or more	28.8	5.2	17.2	12.1	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Educational attainment					
Less than Year 10	39.7	19.2	19.7	22.4	
Year 10 or 11	29.6	36.7	40.7	38.7	
Year 12	15.5	21.8	20.5	19.9	
Post secondary	15.2	22.3	19.1	19.0	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Gender					
Male	63.7	54.9	66.0	60.8	
Female	36.3	45.1	34.0	39.2	
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	
Equity groups4					
Disability	15.1	6.2	5.7	6.5	
Indigenous	8.4	5.5	5.0	9.0	
CALD5	16.0	15.5	11.8	14.2	
Sole parents	1.9	3.1	2.4	4.1	
1.	Commencements in Job Network employment assistance from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.
2.	Commencements in Job Search Support measured through the demographic distribution of registered Vocational Profiles in the year up to 31 December 2004.
3.	Demographic breakdown of Job Placements in the year up to 31 December 2004 
4.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
5.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English Speaking countries.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Access to Job Placements
A key performance indicator of Job Network is how it performs across various industries.  Table 3.3 shows vacancies and job placements by industry.  Differences are shown between vacancy and placement shares.  To some extent they will be due to the fact that the same vacancy may be filled several times depending on the needs of the employer.
As can be seen, Manufacturing, Retail trade, Property and business services and Agriculture provide a significant source of vacancies and placements for Job Network.  In part this reflects the types of jobs that are more likely to be registered by Job Network members and Job Placement Organisations.  
The table also identifies those industries where there exists greater scope to increase Job Network penetration, particularly within the Services sector (i.e. Communication services industry).

Table 3.3: AJS Vacancies and Job Placements by Industry: December 2004
Industry	JNM and JPO initiated Vacancies1
(%)	JNM and JPO
Placement in Job Placement2
(%)	
Agricultural and industrial sector			
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing	5.5	7.8	
Mining	0.7	0.5	
Manufacturing	16.2	22.3	
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply	0.3	0.2	
Construction	8.5	6.6	
Services sector			
Wholesale Trade	4.0	4.4	
Retail Trade	15.3	12.2	
Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants	10.3	6.6	
Transport and Storage	4.1	3.2	
Communication Services	1.1	1.0	
Finance and Insurance	0.9	0.5	
Property and Business Services	19.1	25.3	
Cultural and Recreational Services	1.5	0.9	
Personal and Other Services	4.9	4.6	
Government and community sector			
Government Administration and Defence	1.1	0.8	
Education	1.7	0.6	
Health and Community Services	4.8	2.6	

1. 	Vacancies lodged by Job Network member or Job Placement Organisations on Australian JobSeach between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2004.  Columns may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
2.	Australian JobSearch vacancies filled by Job Network members or Job Placement Organisations between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2004.  Columns may not add up to 100% due to rounding.  

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Participation in NEIS
Table 3.4 shows, for a range of job seeker characteristics, the proportion in the eligible population and the proportion commencing NEIS.  This is shown only for those on an eligible allowance, such as Newstart and Youth Allowance (other) and who are 18 years of age or older.  
NEIS is not targeted directly at job seekers with any particular characteristics.  Given the nature of the programme, however, some types of job seekers are less likely to participate in NEIS than others.  This is particularly the case for groups such as youth (those aged 15 to 20) and the equity groups.  On the other hand persons with a post secondary education participate in NEIS at a higher rate than their proportion of the eligible population. 

 Table 3.4: Access to NEIS by job seeker characteristics year to end December 20041

Job seeker characteristics	Eligibility for NEIS2
(%)	Commencement in NEIS
(%)	
Age group (years)			
15 to 20 	10.2	1.8	
21 to 24	16.6	10.1	
25 to 34	26.2	32.3	
35 to 49	29.7	40.3	
50 or more	17.3	15.5	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Duration on income support (months)			
0 to less than 6	29.6	49.5	
6 to less than 12	14.8	24.4	
12 to less than 24	17.7	13.1	
24 to less than 36	10.6	5.1	
36 or more	27.3	7.9	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Educational attainment			
Less than Year 10	23.9	6.7	
Year 10 or 11	36.9	23.3	
Year 12	18.9	21.7	
Post secondary	20.3	48.3	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Gender			
Male	66.3	56.5	
Female	33.7	43.5	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Equity groups3			
Disability	16.0	8.0	
Indigenous	7.5	1.3	
CALD4	16.2	15.6	
Sole parents	2.1	4.4	

1.	Commencement of job seekers in NEIS from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. 
2.	Job seekers receiving Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) and 18 or over as at 31 December 2004. 
3.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
4.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English  Speaking countries.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Participation in Work for the Dole
Table 3.5 shows, for a range of job seeker characteristics, the proportion in the eligible population and the proportion commencing Work for the Dole (WfD). This is shown only for those on the activity tested payments Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) and who are 18 years of age or older. 
Job seekers are required to participate in WfD for up to six months over a twelve month period. This means that job seekers can participate in a number of different WfD projects and with different CWCs before completing their placement. Each time a job seeker starts with a CWC, a new commencement is recorded.
Job seekers aged 50 years or more who participate in Work for the Dole are volunteers. 
WfD tends to exhibit different patterns in participation from NEIS with younger job seekers proportionally over-represented in the participating population in relation to their eligibility, while job seekers unemployed for less than six months under-represented.  Again this reflects the unique eligibility requirements of the programme.  

Table 3.5: Access to Work for the Dole by job seeker characteristics year to end December 20041

Job seeker characteristics	Eligibility for Work for Dole2
(%)	Commencement in Work for the Dole
(%)	
Age group (years)			
15 to 20 	10.2	13.9	
21 to 24	16.6	21.3	
25 to 34	26.2	30.3	
35 to 49	29.7	31.9	
50 or more	17.3	2.5	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Duration on income support (months)			
0 to less than 6	29.6	5.5	
6 to less than 12	14.8	27.1	
12 to less than 24	17.7	14.2	
24 to less than 36	10.6	13.6	
36 or more	27.3	39.7	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Educational attainment			
Less than Year 10	23.9	28.5	
Year 10 or 11	36.9	38.0	
Year 12	18.9	18.3	
Post secondary	20.3	15.2	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Gender			
Male	66.3	71.6	
Female	33.7	28.4	
Total	100.0	100.0	
Equity groups3			
Disability	16.0	8.9	
Indigenous	7.5	5.5	
CALD4	16.2	12.3	
Sole parents	2.1	0.4	
1.	Commencement of job seekers in NEIS from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. 
2.	Job seekers receiving Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) and 18 or over as at 31 December 2004. 
3.	Equity groups are not mutually exclusive.
4.	People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds from other than main English  Speaking countries.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Section 4: Participation and Outcomes by Region

Participation in labour market assistance by region
This section presents data on participation by job seekers in labour market assistance for the DEWR Labour Market Regions. A map of DEWR regions is included in the Technical Notes of this report. 
Reporting at a regional level is restricted to the main types of Job Network assistance and Work for the Dole.

Table 4.1 provides details of placements in Job Placement jobs and commencements in Job Search Support, Intensive Support and Work for the Dole.
The number of placements and commencements in the various types of labour market assistance will depend on the size of the region, labour market conditions and the relative disadvantage of job seekers in the region. 

Table 4.1: Commencements in labour market assistance by region: December 20041
DEWR Region	Job Search Support
(Number)	Job Placements
(Number)	Intensive Support
(Number)	Work for the Dole
(Number)	
Sydney	94,892	77,264	59,077	11,719	
Hunter and North Coast	40,131	36,993	33,294	7,103	
Illawarra and SE NSW	18,627	18,790	12,465	3,227	
Western NSW	17,984	21,507	14,101	2,388	
Riverina	6,950	10,882	5,467	762	
New South Wales	178,578	165,436	124,404	25,199	
Melbourne	92,493	93,777	62,988	12,377	
Eastern Victoria	13,537	22,441	11,448	2,257	
Western Victoria	23,816	36,545	18,178	3,592	
Victoria	129,846	152,763	92,614	18,226	
Brisbane	84,738	103,827	56,433	10,988	
Southern Queensland	19,012	25,605	15,132	3,317	
Central and Northern QLD	34,955	37,753	26,198	3,924	
Queensland	138,705	167,185	97,763	18,229	
Perth	36,136	41,158	28,587	5,045	
South Western Australia	8,222	10,633	5,765	1,260	
Greater Western Australia	6,838	6,010	6,056	661	
Western Australia	51,196	57,801	40,408	6,966	
Adelaide	31,021	37,596	24,318	4,667	
South Australia Country	11,615	19,125	9,183	1,891	
South Australia 	42,636	56,721	33,501	6,558	
					
Tasmania 	14,513	19,481	12,853	2,859	
					
Northern Territory 	9,086	6,235	8,262	653	
					
Australian Capital Territory 	6,318	4,615	3,495	607	
					
Australia 	570,884	630,237	413,300	79,297	
1.	Commencements in Job Network employment assistance and Work for the Dole from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Labour market assistance by region
Table 4.2 shows the proportion of Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) recipients as at December 2004 compared to the proportion of Job Network eligible Job Placements and commencements in Job Search Support, Intensive Support and Work for the Dole.  This is provided on a DEWR regional and State and Territory basis. 
It is evident that in most regions participation levels generally reflect levels of eligibility.  This tends to indicate that servicing levels broadly meet the demands of the local labour market.  
Participation in Work for the Dole in the Northern Territory, however, is somewhat lower than the eligible population suggests might be able to participate.  

Table 4.2: Comparison of labour market assistance by region year to end December 2004
DEWR Region	Newstart/ Youth Allowance (Other) recipients1
(%)	Job Search Support2
(%)	Intensive Support2
(%)	Work for 
the Dole2
(%)	
Sydney	15.5	16.6	14.3	14.8	
Hunter and North Coast	7.9	7.0	8.1	9.0	
Illawarra and SE NSW	3.1	3.3	3.0	4.1	
Western NSW	3.3	3.2	3.4	3.0	
Riverina	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.0	
New South Wales	31.1	31.3	30.1	31.8	
Melbourne	17.0	16.2	15.2	15.6	
Eastern Victoria	2.6	2.4	2.8	2.8	
Western Victoria	4.4	4.2	4.4	4.5	
Victoria	24.0	22.7	22.4	23.0	
Brisbane	12.3	14.8	13.7	13.9	
Southern Queensland	3.0	3.3	3.7	4.2	
Central and Northern QLD	5.0	6.1	6.3	4.9	
Queensland	20.3	24.3	23.7	23.0	
Perth	6.5	6.3	6.9	6.4	
South Western Australia	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.6	
Greater Western Australia	1.5	1.2	1.5	0.8	
Western Australia	9.4	9.0	9.8	8.8	
Adelaide	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9	
South Australia Country	2.4	2.0	2.2	2.4	
South Australia	8.3	7.5	8.1	8.3	
					
Tasmania	3.5	2.5	3.1	3.6	
					
Northern Territory	2.4	1.6	2.0	0.8	
					
Australian Capital Territory	1.0	1.1	0.8	0.8	
					
Australia	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	

1.	Job Seekers receiving Newstart or Youth Allowance (Other) as at 31 December 2004.
2.	Commencements in Job Network employment assistance or Work for the Dole from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004.

Source: DEWR administrative systems.

Employment outcomes by region
Table 4.3 shows unsubsidised employment outcomes for job seekers who ceased assistance between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and achieved by 31 December 2004.  Employment outcomes are for Job Placement, Intensive Support job search training, Intensive Support customised assistance, Intensive Support and Work for the Dole.  Job Placement outcomes include both fully Job Network Eligible and Job Search Support Only job seekers.   

Table 4.3:  Regional labour market post assistance employment outcomes year to end December 20041
DEWR Region	Job Placement2
(%)
	Intensive Support job search training3 (%)	Intensive Support customised assistance3 (%)	Intensive Support4
(%)	Work for 
the Dole3
(%)	
Sydney	67.3	49.5	40.0	42.4	30.0	
Hunter and North Coast	75.1	54.2	42.5	45.7	26.9	
Illawarra and SE NSW	74.0	54.2	43.1	46.6	26.9	
Western NSW	64.8	49.1	38.6	43.2	28.1	
Riverina	72.8	58.2	43.5	47.5	28.0	
New South Wales	69.7	51.3	41.1	44.3	28.5	
Melbourne	67.9	52.9	41.9	45.5	30.0	
Eastern Victoria	65.4	54.1	44.6	45.8	24.9	
Western Victoria	72.3	55.0	43.2	48.9	30.4	
Victoria	68.7	53.4	42.6	46.3	29.5	
Brisbane	74.0	59.7	50.6	54.6	40.2	
Southern Queensland	73.6	54.6	42.4	49.0	31.3	
Central and Northern QLD	71.4	56.4	40.5	46.1	31.0	
Queensland	73.5	58.3	46.6	51.5	37.1	
Perth	72.9	56.4	46.2	49.4	36.8	
South Western Australia	70.9	55.5	51.3	54.6	41.9	
Greater Western Australia	71.7	50.8	38.9	42.7	30.0	
Western Australia	72.3	55.9	46.0	49.5	37.1	
Adelaide	66.4	54.6	44.7	49.3	30.3	
South Australia Country	66.7	55.8	43.7	49.6	29.5	
South Australia	66.5	54.9	44.5	49.5	30.2	
						
Tasmania	64.8	56.6	45.6	46.3	28.9	
						
Northern Territory	73.9	61.4	37.8	37.1	26.2	
						
Australian Capital Territory	75.0	50.9	44.1	47.9	37.0	
						
Australia	70.4	54.4	44.5	47.2	31.7	
1.	Employment outcomes exclude indigenous job seekers who return to a Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) after leaving labour market assistance.  
2.	Job Placement outcomes are for job seekers placed in an eligible Job Placement job between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.  For job seekers who achieved a Job Placement within three months of leaving labour market assistance such as Intensive Support job search training, Intensive Support customised assistance and Work for the Dole, the outcome is excluded from Job Placement but included under the programme or service they participated in.  
3.	Post assistance employment outcomes relate to job seekers who ceased Intensive Support job search training, Intensive Support customised assistance or Work for the Dole between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.  
4.	Job seekers who commenced Intensive Support between 1 April 2003 and 30 September 2003 and left Intensive Support or were receiving Intensive Support assistance for 12 months between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and outcomes achieved by 31 December 2004.  

Source: The Post Programme Monitoring Survey conducted three months after job seekers cease assistance.

Section 5: Impact on Income Support Recipients

Number of income support recipients
An important goal of employment assistance is to reduce or remove employment barriers experienced by job seekers so they can compete effectively for jobs.  Higher levels of employment assistance are provided to the most disadvantaged job seekers. 
While this report focuses mainly on the outcomes achieved by individual forms of assistance it is also important to note that other factors, such as administrative changes and economic conditions, also have a significant impact on the number of income support recipients.
Figure 5.1 shows the changes over time in the number of short and long term income support recipients. Many long term recipients (in receipt of Newstart and Youth Allowance (Other) for 12 months or more) will have had a job at some time over the last 12 months.  These job seekers are reclassified as short term recipients only if they remain totally off benefits for a continuous period of more than 13 weeks. 
Hence, long-term recipients should not be confused with the long term unemployed as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.  The long-term unemployed are people currently looking for work who have not had a job that lasted for 2 weeks or more in the last year.
Data on income support recipients shows that in the 12 months to the end of December 2004, the number of people in receipt of Newstart or Youth Allowance (Other) decreased by almost 25,700 to around 590,000 job seekers.  The number of job seekers who were long-term recipients decreased by just under 18,700 while the number of short-term recipients decreased by over 7,000. 

Figure 5.1: has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

  Source: Trend series based on data from DEWR administrative system.

1.	Figures quoted in the text are from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations: “Labour Market and Related Payments a monthly profile, December 2004”.

Off-Benefit outcomes
An assessment of the impact that assistance has can also be undertaken by looking at the income support status of participants after they leave assistance.  
Figure 5.2 shows the off-benefit status of job seekers three and six months after they had exited employment assistance.  Results are not shown for Transition to Work as a significant proportion of the population is not on income support when they commenced in the programme.  
Off-benefit outcomes are only measured for clients who were in receipt of Newstart and Youth Allowance (other) (i.e. activity tested beneficiaries) when they commenced their employment assistance placement.  Other clients, on non-activity tested benefits have different allowable earnings thresholds and their inclusion has the potential to distort the results.  
The majority of job seekers who move off income support do so for employment, particularly full-time employment.  For most programmes, however, off-benefit outcomes levels are generally slightly lower than employment outcomes levels.  This reflects the fact that three months after exiting an employment assistance placement the proportion of people in part-time work who remain on benefits is somewhat larger than the proportion that have moved off income support for reasons other than employment (e.g. leaving the labour market).  
Three month off-benefit outcomes tend to mirror what is found in relation to employment outcomes, with those programmes that achieve high employment outcomes achieving high three months off-benefit outcomes. Those that achieve high off-benefit outcomes at three months also experience little change at the six month mark.  This indicates that for these programmes the benefits happen relatively shortly after completing the programme.  
For other programmes, particularly those targeted at the more disadvantaged, it is evident that there is a substantial rise in off-benefit levels between three and six months after leaving assistance.  This indicates that the benefits from the programmes tend to take longer to materialise for the job seeker.  Notwithstanding this longer lead time, strong off-benefit outcomes are achieved for all programmes. 

Figure 5.2: has been removed and replaced with a description of the image to ensure that the information is available to people with various information accessibility needs. The image is included in the PDF version of this publication

1.	Job seekers who left assistance between 1 October 2003 and 30 September 2004 and were not on income support three months later.
2.	Job seekers who left assistance between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2004 and were not on income support six months later.  

Technical Notes

Data sources, sampling, further assistance and survey results
Data Sources
The department uses a number of data sources to determine the outcomes achieved by job seekers during and after they have ceased labour market assistance.  The two main data sources are the Post Programme Monitoring (PPM) survey and the department’s administrative database held within the Integrated Employment System (IES).
PPM surveys have been undertaken since 1987 and are used to assess the labour force and education status of former programme participants three months after they exit assistance.  The IES records details of placements, commencements and paid outcomes for labour market assistance.
Survey Sampling
With the introduction of the Active Participation Model (APM) in July 2003 the PPM methodology was subjected to revision.  Prior to the APM, a full enumeration of clients exiting programmes and not in further assistance was attempted (with the exception of Intensive Assistance and Job Matching which were based on 25% samples).
From July 2003 onwards, the PPM survey uses a sampling approach to assess the performance of all employment assistance.  For all programmes except Job Placement, a 25% sample of clients in the following categories is undertaken:
a) clients found to be on full-rate of Newstart or Youth Allowance(Other) and/or in a subsequent programme placement (also known as ‘further assistance’) at the time they are due to be surveyed;
b) clients who achieved a 13 week payable outcome after receiving assistance under Intensive Support; and
c) clients who have reached 12, 24 or 36 months participation in Intensive Support (IS) without exiting.
The PPM outcome of clients in category (b) is recorded as employed or in education based on the type of payable outcome they achieved.  These clients are only surveyed to obtain supplementary information about their labour force and education status.  A full enumeration of clients not in categories a, b, or c is attempted.
For clients who were placed in a job through Job Placement, a survey of 25% of clients is undertaken.

Further Assistance
A client is defined as being in further assistance if, at the time they are due to be surveyed, the client is found to have commenced a subsequent placement.  Intensive Support itself is not counted as further assistance unless the client moves between providers for whatever reason.
As outlined previously, a 25% sample of clients found to be in further assistance is currently included in the survey.  Prior to the commencement of the APM, clients in further assistance were not surveyed and their outcomes were simply recorded as ‘in further assistance’.  While these clients may have potentially been either in a part time job and/or in education, these outcomes were not captured as these clients were not surveyed.  Under the new sampling methodology these outcomes can now be recorded.
The impact on PPM results of surveying job seekers in further assistance will vary amongst the programmes.  Programmes such as TTW and NEIS will see little impact on their outcomes results given that few of their participants proceeded to further assistance.  For other programmes, the impacts will vary, but any variations will generally be modest.
Comparisons with pre-APM outcomes
In addition to the limitations outlined above in the ‘Further Assistance’ section, care should also be taken when comparing outcomes achieved for services delivered under the APM with outcomes for similar pre-APM Job Network services.  This is because similar types of assistance (eg Intensive Assistance delivered under ESC rounds 1 and 2, and Intensive Support customised assistance delivered under the APM), will have differences in client mix and the type, and way, in which services are delivered to clients.
Intensive Support population
The population used for the calculation of IS outcomes includes those clients who, in any given reporting period first: a) exited IS, b) began a 13 week period leading to an outcome or intermediate payment; or c) reached 12, 24 or 36 months participation in IS without exiting.
Clients are surveyed after 12, 24 and 36 months participation to avoid potential biases in the calculation of outcomes results.  If these clients were not surveyed as they progressed through IS, outcomes would be overstated as those not achieving outcomes would remain in assistance and not enter the survey.
In addition, if a client is due to be surveyed during /after their participation in IS, or after participating in ISca or ISjst, and is found to have been surveyed in the last 3 months, then their outcome will be set to the outcome (if it is known) that was obtained when they were surveyed previously.
Survey results
Aside from IS, ISjst and ISca, where PPM results are based on a combination of survey responses and payable outcomes data, all outcome estimates are based on survey responses.  The overall response rate for the PPM survey, at around 60%, provides outcomes estimates that are generally accurate to within plus or minus 1 percentage point at the National level.

Labour Market Assistance Descriptions
Intensive Support stream:  provides individually tailored assistance for up to 42 months for eligible job seekers.  Access to assistance through Intensive Support is immediately at registration for those job seekers identified as highly disadvantaged with the remainder having access to assistance after three months of unemployment.  Under Intensive Support a job seeker can have access to the general Intensive Support assistance, Intensive Support job search training and/or Intensive Support customised assistance.
Intensive Support (IS):  assistance will be provided during periods between ISjst, ISmo and ISca.  During these periods, job seekers will continue to have access to job search assistance and facilities at their Job Network member site, guidance in relation to job search and the regular updating of their vocational profile.  
Intensive Support customised assistance (ISca):  provides for six months of assistance tailored to the jobseekers’ individual needs and to available jobs opportunities.  Job seekers who are most disadvantaged (as determined by their JSCI score) receive immediate access to ISca.  Other job seekers will be eligible to receive ISca assistance after 12 months of unemployment.  
Intensive Support job search training (ISjst):  provides training for up to 100 hours (over three weeks) in job search techniques and job application skills to give unemployed people the skills and confidence to improve their job search skills, motivation and expand their job search networks.  Mature age and Indigenous job seekers have immediate access to ISjst on registration for unemployment allowance.  
Intensive Support mutual obligation (ISmo):  occurs at the same time that a job seeker’s ordinary mutual obligation requirements commence.  The objective of Job Network services during these periods is to ensure that job seekers continue to be actively engaged in job search activities and improving their job prospects.
Job Placement services refer suitable job seekers to vacancies and canvass and list job vacancies on the Australian Job Search database.  DEWR licensed recruitment agencies, Job Placement Organisation (JPOs), are in a position to provide Job Placement service to eligible job seekers. Job Network members are licensed as JPOs. 
New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS): provides support and training for eligible job seekers who wish to pursue the option of self-employment. 
Indigenous Employment Programme: replaced the Training for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders Programme (TAP) and has several components. It includes Wage Assistance which is a wage subsidy paid to employers over 26 weeks providing on-going employment. In Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP), employers in the private sector and regional and community based employment sponsor organisations provide jobs, generally involving accredited training or a traineeship. 
Indigenous Employment Centres: help Community Development Employment Project participants find employment.
Work for the Dole: provides assistance for job seekers to develop work habits, generic work skills and work experience by participating in community projects and activities for up to 26 weeks over a 12 month period.
Community Work: assists job seekers to gain skills and work experience and provides access to additional benefits such as Training Credits and Passport to Employment after participating in voluntary work for a specified number of hours. 
Transition to Work Programme: helps job seekers who are parents, carers and mature age people 50 years and over entering the workforce for the first time or returning to the workforce after an absence of 2 years or more. 
Training accounts: help mature age and indigenous job seekers who participate in Intensive Support or Indigenous Employment Centres improve their employment prospects through the provision of training. 
Training Credits: provide job seekers who participate in a Work for the Dole or Community Work Placement for between 16 and 26 weeks with a training credit which can be used to pay for additional training.  

General Definitions
AJS, Australian JobSearch (http://jobsearch.gov.au): lists all job vacancies notified to the Job Network and provides contact details for Job Network members.  It is available in Centrelink and at Job Network member offices and through the DEWR Internet site (http://www.workplace.gov.au).
Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) :is a scheme that provides work for Indigenous Australians in community-managed activities that help the individual to acquire skills that benefit the community, develop business enterprises and/or lead to unsubsidised employment.  It usually involves part-time work at the equivalent of the unemployment allowance.  Positive and employment outcomes exclude Indigenous job seekers who return to a CDEP after leaving labour market assistance. 
Community Work Coordinators: are contracted to develop Community Work placements and Work for the Dole projects/activities and manage the placement of eligible job seekers into those projects/activities.
Educational attainment: refers to the highest educational level completed by job seekers. 
Eligible vacancy: is a job vacancy listed on the Australian Job Search database that is eligible for a payment under Job Network.
Further assistance: includes job seekers who proceed to another DEWR or DEST funded employment programme or service within three months of exiting employment assistance. It includes commencements in Intensive Support job search training (ISjst), Intensive Support customised assistance (ISca), New Apprenticeships, NEIS, Work for the Dole, Green Corps, Advanced English for Migrants Programme (AEMP) and the STEP and Wage Assistance components of the Indigenous Employment Policy.  A job seeker who is in the general Intensive Support or Job Search Support streams of assistance are not regarded as being in further assistance.  
Income support recipients: includes job seekers registered with Centrelink as unemployed and in receipt of Newstart Allowance (NSA) or job seekers aged 15 to 24 not in full-time education and in receipt of Youth Allowance (Other) (YA). 

Job Search Support Only (JSSO): refers to those job seekers, irrespective of their income support status, who are eligible for only Job Search Support services and no other form of Job Network services.  JSSO job seekers can renew their registration as unemployed every three months with either Centrelink or their Job Network member. 
Job placements: include placements provided under Job Search Support and job placements under Intensive Support customised assistance.
Fully Job Network Eligible (FJNE): refers to those job seekers who are eligible to receive the full suite of Job Network services.  Any unemployed person receiving Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance (Other) or another form of qualifying income support payment and young people not in full-time study irrespective of income support are eligible for Job Network assistance.  CDEP participants are also eligible for Job Network services.
Job Seeker Classification Instrument (JSCI): a measurement of a job seeker’s relative disadvantage in obtaining employment – because of their personal circumstance and labour market skills – and is used to determine the level of labour market assistance required. 
People from Culturally And Linguistic Diverse backgrounds (CALD): refers to people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, where the main language spoken is not English.
Work for the Dole (WfD) commencement: involves a job seeker participating in a WfD activity for up to six months over a 12-month period.  This means that job seekers can participate in a number of different WfD projects and with different CWCs before completing their placement.  Each time a job seeker starts with a CWC, a new commencement is recorded.
Work for the Dole exit: for the purposes of PPM, occurs when a job seeker has a break between CWC placements of more than 3 months and in relation to their last CWC placement in the 12 month period.  Clients exiting WfD will be subsequently surveyed. 

Regional Coverage
Regions used in this report are based on the 19 labour market regions used in contracting for DEWR programmes and services.

DEWR labour market regions

Perth
Southern WA
Greater WA
Northern Teritory
SA Country
Adelaide
Central and Northern QLD
Southern QLD
Brisbane
Western NSW
Hunter and North Coast
Sydney
ACT
Riverina
Illawarra and South East NSW
Eastern Victoria
Melbourne
Western Victoria
Tasmania