Warnings over high unemployment

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Trudie Samuel, from Merthyr Tydfil has been looking for a job since she completed an NVQ at the end of the summer

An economist has warned Wales faces years of high unemployment as it tries to claw its way out of recession.

Unemployment in the nation will not return to pre-recession levels for five or six years, said Professor David Blackaby, of Swansea University.

Wales has one of the UK's highest unemployment rates with an extra 50,000 jobseekers since the recession began.

Prof Blackaby told BBC's Week In Week Out there were also "damaging" social consequences for some communities.

The academic is featured in the programme which is broadcast on BBC 1 Wales on Tuesday night.

"GDP is growing so slowly, high unemployment is going to be with us for two years - or three years at best - and we won't see it returning to the levels before recession for five or six years," he said.

There are not only economic consequences, there are also social consequences, and those social consequences are particularly damaging for many in our communities in Wales Prof David Blackaby, economist

"We need to get the economy growing at rates it was before the recession to see unemployment come down.

"On top of that if we've got cuts in the public sector coming through then we won't see a levelling off in unemployment. We may see unemployment continue to rise not only next year, but the year after.

"I can see unemployment levels in Wales reaching 140,000 next year.

"On a worse case scenario it could be up to 160,000 next year if the cuts in the public sector come through."

Prof Blackaby added: "There are not only economic consequences, there are also social consequences, and those social consequences are particularly damaging for many in our communities in Wales."

Trudie Samuel, 19, from Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil, was one of 104 people competing for a receptionist job at Merthyr Tydfil council.

She has good GCSEs and admin and business qualifications, but she knows it is a competitive market for jobs.

"I've put CVs into shops that haven't even vacancies available. I've been flat-out over August but I've had nothing - there's no chance.

We've had over a hundred applications for this job, but we've had over 200 applicants for some clerical positions over the last six months Paul Williams, Merthyr Tydfil council

"You're on a downer then you feel like giving up," she said.

"I don't think there's much chance, especially for young people who've got no experience in work, they just don't look at them twice."

Council human resources officer, Paul Williams, said that trend for large numbers of applicants for council jobs is becoming commonplace.

"We've had over a hundred applications for this job, but we've had over 200 applicants for some clerical positions over the last six months.

"We used to get 30 or 40 for a similar post if I went back 12 months ago," Mr Williams said.

The programme follow Ms Samuel and three other job-seekers as they try to find work.

Week In Week Out is broadcast on BBC Wales at 2235 GMT on Tuesday.