Australia currently has – among many others – four problems, which are related but which can be solved. The four problems are a skills shortage, a failing education system, youth unemployment, and under-manning in the ADF.

In early September, a Jobs and Skills Summit was held in Canberra. To address skills shortages, Prime Minister Albanese pledged an extra $1 billion for 180,000 fee-free TAFE places in 2023 and $100m over four years for 10,000 new ‘energy apprentices’. Politicians see money – other people’s money – as the solution to every problem. However, money will not solve our skills shortages while the second problem – a failing education system – exists.

At June 30, 2020, 266,600 young Australians were undertaking apprenticeships. In 2019, 384,400 undergraduates commenced degree courses. However, just under half of apprentices fail to complete their apprenticeships, and around half who study teaching also fail to complete. With these failure rates, of Albanese’s 190,000 free TAFE places and energy apprenticeships only half will finish – yet another half a billion dollars down the drain.

The Jobs Summit was told that drop-outs occur, ‘in part because young people are not really prepared for the process’ – the process simply being education and training – and ‘lack of foundational skills’ among potential workers are a real barrier to employment. Worse, the Business Council of Australia’s CEO, Jennifer Westacott told the summit ‘they simply don’t have the basic skills of reading, writing, spelling, numeracy and digital’.

Self-evidently, our education system is a problem. According to the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), in 2018 20 per cent of Australian students had reading levels ‘too low to enable them to participate effectively and productively in life’, an eight per cent increase since 2003. By 2030, nearly 25 per cent of our students will fall into this dismal and abysmal category.

Australia’s unemployment rate is now 3.5 per cent, but our third problem is youth employment at 7.03 per cent. The number of unemployed in June 2022 was 494,000, of whom 77,000 are in the youth cohort (ages 15 – 24). In May 2022 there were 480,000 job vacancies – approximately one job for every person unemployed.

However, instead of having almost zero unemployment as one might expect, the jobs are not being filled. And, of the 77,000 unemployed youth, the majority are highly likely to be unemployable, destined never to escape the insidious cycle of welfare dependency.

The fourth problem is under-manning in the ADF and Australia’s Reserve Forces. Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the new Chief of Navy, said that the RAN submarine force will have to expand from its current 850 sailors to about 2,500 to crew our new nuclear submarines, and thousands more will be needed to crew new surface ships. These highly-skilled jobs cannot be filled if half our tertiary students fail to complete their studies and training, and if 25 per cent of secondary school leavers are incapable of undertaking further study and training.

A potential answer to this problem is to have Australia’s unemployed youth – those on welfare – engage in military training for a year. A pilot program of 5,000 trainees (from the 77,000 unemployed youth cohort) across the six states would require around 500 staff for a year. These could come from Australia’s reserve forces, from retired regular ADF personnel, and from other appropriate retired personnel who would like to work. This program should not be a burden on the already undermanned – and overworked – ADF. Salary costs could be around $50 million for the year. Accommodation should be tented, to reduce costs and to allow easy establishment of training camps in specific locations. The establishment of inexpensive and temporary catering, shower, and latrine facilities are not beyond the capabilities of army engineers. Total costs of the training could be around $100 million a year. Small change for our hitherto shamelessly profligate governments.

The purpose of the training is change – change to lifestyles, outlook, thinking, and to the lack of basic skills of the young unemployed. Under current conditions they have no prospects of any meaningful employment, no prospects of a fulfilling life, and no prospects of contributing to Australia.

Twelve months of full-time military recruit training will qualify participants as fully-trained soldiers i.e. ready to and capable of joining a regular military unit. Note that this is not national service. Furthermore, those who do complete the training will not be compelled to serve in the ADF regular forces. Their commitment to full-time ADF service will end on the completion of their full-time recruit training of twelve months.

Any who are unwilling to commit to and complete the training period will not be compelled to do so. However, those who refuse to engage in this training will no longer receive any unemployment or other welfare benefits.

Apart from the military training, the program should comprise education in basic and higher skills in reading, writing, numeracy, and digital – those that are now lacking. Essential elements of the program should include discipline, physical fitness, sport, and adventure training. The experience should be enjoyable, educational, and productive for the majority, if not all who undertake the training. It must be a positive life-changing experience. At the end of the training, all participants should be job-ready, and ready to participate effectively and productively in life.

After the initial recruit training is completed, the program could be expanded for those who have demonstrated an interest and a commitment to include trade and vocational training in the widest possible range of traditional and new (digital) trades and skills. Leadership and management training – developing initiative and self-reliance – now being sold by vocational colleges at a high cost, can also be delivered to those demonstrating interest and commitment via promotion courses.

Instead of looking for reasons why this cannot be done, let’s make it happen. As Nike said – just do it!