The percentage of Australians who are estimated to be employed under casual or contract conditions is 35 per cent. The high level has raised concerns from a number of spokespeople, including AMP Capital economist Shane Oliver who has commented 'To have this situation where you are locked into part-time work for a long period can be debilitating.' The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) have also raised concerns. 'You lose sick leave and you lose annual leave,' President Ged Kearney says. 'You lose carers leave - you also lose things like superannuation and it becomes difficult to get a loan.' Indeed the growing level of employment uncertainty is a concern for many younger people who are entering the workforce, but the situation also impacts on older workers who are looking for work after retrenchments.
There are some advantages to casual and part-time work, as the hours allow for part-time study and flexibility when looking after a family. There is evidence that there are growing numbers of Australians who are choosing casual and part-time jobs, with job websites dedicated entirely to them. Recruitment specialist Don Robertson, for example, recently launched jobflex.com.au to tap into the demand and commented: 'What we've found is Generation \(\mathrm{Y}\) job seekers are more inclined, are more interested to test a market if you will, in terms of potentially looking at different employment ideas before settling on one career.' Employer groups also argue that workplace flexibility is needed to achieve economic growth. For an employer, the option of being able to call on a ready. workforce and then release workers when they are not required strengthens efficiency.
Mr Oliver believes, however, that the casualisation of the Australian workforce is not good for the economy. 'If w€ fully utilise the resources available to us in the labour market, then we could be having a higher level of economic activity and better living standards flowing from that.'
Questions 

1 What are the dangers to the Australian economy of a heavily casualised workforce?
2 Despite the proposed benefits to employers of a flexible workforce, what problems does a reliance on such a workforce profile present for organisations?

New figures published in The Australian Financial Review/GradConnection list of The top 50 most popular internship employers show that thousands of undergraduate students are applying for vacation internships as a way to secure employment (Callaghan, 2015).