Participation and Employment

Improved levels of labour force participation and productivity are vital to maintaining living standards and economic growth. The workforce needs of Western Australia and Australia as a whole will change as the economy undergoes cyclical upturns and downturns. This research theme informs the development of policies aimed at meeting workforce needs and promoting productivity in WA and nationally. Examples include labour market barriers and opportunities faced by disadvantaged groups in society, such as low-skilled individuals and the long-term unemployed; the role that skilled migration plays in meeting changing workforce needs; and changing labour market conditions in WA.

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BCEC Monthly Labour Market Update – December 2024 Michael Dockery, Alan Duncan — Unemployment rate creeps back to 4 per cent, despite strong jobs growth. — — Male participation rate the highest in over a decade, up 0.3ppt to 71.4 per cent. — — The renewables transition may be starting to show... Read article 20 January 2025Monthly Labour Market Update Read More
Monthly Labour Market Update – November 2024 Michael Dockery — Unemployment rate back below 4 per cent on the back of solid rise in full-time jobs. — — Participation falls marginally to 67.0 per cent, down from record high 67.1 per cent. — — Signs of increased industrial action... Read article 16 December 2024Monthly Labour Market Update Read More
Trust a few: Natural disasters and the disruption of trust in Africa Robert Mackay, Astghik Mavisakalyan, Yashar Tarverdi Highlights Natural disaster exposure imposes a negative influence on the formation of trust. Shocks during the impressionable years influence the development of trust. Increased disaster frequency has a negative association with interpersonal and institutional trust. Abstract Individuals are at their... Read article 2 December 2024Journal Articles Read More
Dare to Venture: Startups and the innovation ecosystem in Western Australia Alex Buckland, Abebe Hailemariam, Daniel Kiely, Angelica Munoz, Panagiotis Sotirakopoulos Dare to Venture: Startups and the innovation ecosystem in Western Australia, the eighteenth report in the BCEC Focus on WA series, seeks to better understand the startup and innovation ecosystem in Western Australia, to inform policies that support entrepreneurship and... Read article 19 November 2024Focus on WA Read More
BCEC Monthly Labour Market Update – October 2024 Michael Dockery — Job creation slows in October, but marks seventh month of uninterrupted growth. — — Unemployment rate steady at 4.1 per cent as participation rate eases from record level. — — Recently released indices for prices and wages suggest inflation... Read article 18 November 2024Monthly Labour Market Update Read More
BCEC Monthly Labour Market Update – September 2024 — Nationally 64,100 jobs added in September as male full-time employment surges 1.1 per cent in a single month. — — Unemployment rate steady at 4.1 per cent, after August figure revised down. — — Public sector employment growth conflicting with... Read article 22 October 2024Monthly Labour Market Update Read More