With Western Australia achieving the unwanted distinction of the worst jobless rate in the country, voters were always going to rate employment as a key campaign issue ahead of Saturday's election.

Unemployment stands at 6.5 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms, and youth unemployment in certain areas is even higher.

On the streets of Rockingham, where Opposition Leader Mark McGowan lives in Perth's south, it did not take long to find young people who said they are desperate for work.

Ashley Allan, 21, says he hands out about 25 resumes a week. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

Ashley Allan, 21, cleaned oil tankers before he was made redundant seven months ago. He has applied for hundreds of jobs since.

"About 25 a week," he said as he left the local Centrelink.

"It's gotten pretty desperate. I've had to move out of my apartment back to parents."

Mr Allan was not alone.

Alex Mofflin, 19, has been unemployed for one year and applied for about 60 jobs in the construction industry.

"I've gone out and just handed resumes out everywhere and just had no reply," Mr Mofflin said.

Alex Mofflin (l) and his mate William Fletcher are both desperate for work. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

His friend William Fletcher, 21, said he was worried he would have to move away for work after he was laid off before Christmas.

"Each week that goes by, handing out resumes and sending off emails and getting nothing back from it. You kind of give up on it I guess," he said.

"I even applied to go work in Canada. Even got to that extent where I would move away just to work. Get away from Rockingham."

Eden Binney, 20, has just moved to the area and said she would be willing to travel and take any job to get into the workforce.

"Income is income. Definitely I'd rather have a job than be on Centrelink for sure," she said.

'They're almost begging for work'

Rockingham is a blue-collar area that is historically driven by manufacturing and held by Mr McGowan.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the average unemployment rate in Rockingham and Fremantle in 2016 — for people aged between 15 and 24 — was nearly 15 per cent.

That was three points higher than the state average and four points higher than the last time WA went to the polls in 2013.

The owner of Lulu's Cafe on Rockingham's beachfront Martin Pokroy said he had to turn young, eager workers away in droves.

Martin Pokroy - with employee Elise Proud - says he has to turn away droves of job seekers. ( ABC News: Eliza Laschon )

"There's a constant stream of young people desperate to find something. We receive between four and six resumes each week," Mr Pokroy said.

"They're almost begging for me to give them a chance in the workplace and you can see that they're really willing to work.

"I would love to be able to employ 20 people at least give them two or three hours per week, but that's not practical."

Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre director Alan Duncan said the end of the mining construction boom and the decline in local manufacturing was largely to blame.

"Rockingham is like other areas with a concentration of manufacturing, with increased advancement in technology the production process often requires fewer people," Mr Duncan said.

"I think there's a real and pressing need in Rockingham as a result, for flexibility, for training and indeed re-training."

In the lead up to Saturday's election, the State Government has promised to provide additional incentives for small-to-medium businesses for apprenticeships and traineeships if its re-elected.

It claims that will generate up to 15,000 new positions over two years.

WA Labor has proposed a requirement for apprenticeships and traineeships to be part of all government projects.