According to the Stats SA Quarter1 (Q1) 2014 Labour force survey that was released yesterday, the youth continue to be vulnerable in the labour market. Although their level of educational attainment has improved over the period 2008 to 2014, their labour market situation deteriorated markedly during the recession.

The survey revealed that the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-34 years was 36,1% which is 3,4 percentage points higher than in 2008. Young people who are employed are more likely to be employed in precarious conditions; for example 20,7% of employed youth are on contracts of a limited duration compared to 10,8% of employed adults.

The results also show a quarterly decline in employment of 122 000 due to a loss of 110 000 jobs in the informal sector. Private households and Agriculture shed jobs (14 000 and 5 000 respectively).

The decrease in employment Q4:2013 and Q1:2014, was accompanied by an increase in unemployment (up 237 000) resulting in a 1,1 percentage points increase in the unemployment rate to 25,2%.

Over the same period, the absorption rate decreased by 0,5 of a percentage point to 42,8% and the number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 154 000.

The contraction in employment between Q4:2013 and Q1:2014 was driven mainly by a decrease in employment in Transport, storage and communication (66 000), Community and social services (42 000) and Trade (38 000) industries.

Employment has recovered to levels observed before the recession in 2008. However, the proportion of those employed among the working age population is still lower than was observed before the recession.