A study, The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA), released this month as part of the the 2009 How Young People are Faring (HYPAF) report, revealed the proportion of teenagers not earning a full-time salary jumped from 13.4 per cent to 16.4 per cent within one year.

That is the highest level since the recession of the early 1990s. The rate has gone from 14 per cent to 15.6 per cent in NSW.

The 2009 research is prepared by the University of Melbourne's centre for post-compulsory education and lifelong learning.

This year's report focused on the global economic downturn and the impact on youth's aspirations, employment opportunities and education pathways.

Its figures draw on data from a range of sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), education and labour-force survey and the Census of Population and Housing.

According to the report, the rate of unemployment among teens who are not in full-time education has risen from 12.2percent in 2008 to 18.5percent in 2009 one of the largest annual increases for that demographic in the past two decades.

Those living in wealthier areas are three times more likely to gain a university degree by the age of 24 than those in poorer regions and females are almost twice as likely as males to complete a university degree by the age of 23.

Career adviser at St John Bosco Engadine, Cathy Sullivan, guides students during their studies to help them feel confident about future job choices.

She said many students were worried about job security, but the school's "transition-to-work program'', similar to work experience placement, helped identify those who might be "at risk'' of unemployment.

"Many are concerned about the jobs climate but we adapt to that and try to get them to be more proactive,'' Mrs Sullivan said.