"It wasn't until last year that I actually ended up getting a job, that's how bad it was for finding jobs here," she said. Jen Rudge, 24, is studying social work at James Cook University in Townsville. Finding work has been tough. Townsville is just one of five youth unemployment hot spots in Queensland. With a youth unemployment rate of 17.6 per cent, it is the fourth highest hot spot in the state and number 10 in the country, according to a report by the Brotherhood of St Laurence. Wendy Lang, chief executive officer for Queensland Youth Services in Townsville, said things are "very tough" for young people looking for work in the city. "There's a lot of experienced and qualified workers looking for work so that makes it even harder for a young person who has no previous work experience," she said.

"Often they give up because they don't believe there is hope; they don't believe there's anything out there for them so there's a lot of young people in quite a depressed state of mental health." After her two year search, Ms Rudge ended up finding work as a cleaner for one of Townsville's big shopping centres. Between her cleaning shifts and help from Centrelink, the social work student said she had enough money to cover rent, bills, and food - until she broke her arm. "You operate heavy equipment, carry things when you're a cleaner ... with a broken arm you can't exactly do that," she said.

After taking time off unpaid to recover from her injury, Ms Rudge said her employer then told her there was no guarantee of work when she healed. Ms Rudge said she was "encouraged to quit". "So basically they were like 'you can have your job, you can be employed with us, but just by the time your arm is healed we probably won't actually have any hours for you because we've put other people on to cover that'," she said. Ms Lang said she did what she could outside QYS to support the jobs of young people. "I know it's only a small thing, but my partner and I when we go into a Woolworths or Coles we don't use the self serve," she said.

"If you use a checkout, you're keeping someone employed. That's the way we look at it." Despite the state of the job market in Townsville, Ms Lang said she's hopeful projects like the Townsville Stadium and the slated Adani coal mine will help bring more jobs to the city's youth. In the meantime, Ms Lang's advice for young people is to get as much experience as they can while they are young - but also remember the right attitude can matter more than experience. "Sometimes its not necessarily your qualifications that get you the job, but it's your willingness to learn," she said. "Your behaviour is what an employer will often look at in deciding whether your suitable for their organisation."

Ms Rudge broke her arm in September. While her physio advised her not to apply for jobs until the end of December, she said she is willing to start the hunt again. "I'm going to do it, I'm optimistic. I got a job [in the last year] so my name is out there, but in saying that I know I'm not expecting to get one anytime soon."