August employment rises sharply while youth job rate falls for 28 months
August saw the largest increase in total employment in five months, yet the youth employment rate dropped for the 28th consecutive month.
Government data released on the 9th shows that the number of employed persons aged 15 and over grew markedly in August, the biggest rise since March. The overall employment rate held steady at 63.3% compared with the previous month. However, employment among 15-29-year-olds fell by over 140,000 from a year earlier, pushing the youth employment rate down to 44.1%, a decline that has persisted for 28 months.
