Asian youth out in the cold in sunny Sydney

Zhang Xin is 22 years old, ambitious, outgoing and living the Sydney dream. It's a dream that includes beautiful beaches, blue skies and as a former international student - a dream of work. Any work.

The latest data on unemployment in Australia for young people from non-English speaking countries, released this week is damning. And it's a story young graduates like Ms Zhang are all too familiar with.

Youth from around Asia, attracted to Australia's idyllic lifestyle, are being scuttled at the crest: overlooked in their search for work - despite their high participation rates in training, according to a national report released this week.

According to Zhang, there is a 'bamboo ceiling' that not only limits the career pathways of jobseekers from an Asian background, but, tellingly, the initial entrance into the Australian workforce is fraught with difficulties.

"It is very hard. Life here is expensive..and my qualifications put me at least on equal with peers, but I cannot think that my heritage, my accent, my cultural background put me at a disadvantage."

According to the lead author of the CALD Youth Report 2014 and University of Adelaide Professor Graeme Hugo, non-English speaking youths are being overlooked in the race for positions.

Only 55.9 percent of 18 to 24 year olds from 'culturally and linguistically diverse' (CALD) countries such as China, India, and the Philippines were in employment, compared to 71.6 percent of Australian-born youths.

Hugo said refugees are encountering even stiffer resistance, with just one third in employment.

"Refugees tended to experience the most difficulty," he said.

Based on census data from 2011, the report found from nearly 3. 7 million 12 to 24 year olds living in Australia during 2011, nearly 600,000 were born overseas, 400,000 were born in a CALD country and about 48,000 were refugees.

William Chen, founder of HireChinese, a new website aiming to help connect talented Chinese students and graduates looking for jobs with Australian companies there is a disconnect between Australian companies eager to source quality China-focused talent and the rich availability of talent on the ground in Australia.

"It's foolish to pin these figures on racial preferences. The fact is many Australian companies are seeking Chinese and Asian talent, as Australia looks to engage the 'Asian Century', its simply a question of linking these two synergistic groups."

"HireChinese is a project to bridge the gap. We want to bridge the chasm, we want to solve the problem."

China and Asia is the absolute core for new business investment but Australia is oddly lacking in a capacity to engage with local As an talent.

Far too few companies have broken through the so-called "bamboo ceiling" by sourcing talent here with Asian cultural knowledge and expertise.

Asia is not only Australia's backyard, but the region is forecast to account for upwards of 40 percent of the world's combined GDP by 2030, and is viewed by most major Australian employers as the centrifugal force of future growth.

But the numbers, according to William Chen whose China consulting practice ChinaKey also services Australian companies marketing into China, just don't reflect the potential behind the disconnect.

The South Australian capital city of Adelaide, for example is populated with about 26,700 CALD youths aged to 24, yet about 55 percent are employed.

"There has to be a hand waiting for the amount of reaching out on both sides," he told Xinhua.

Professor Hugo said youths from overseas were enrolled in full- or part-time education, including 58 percent of 18 to 24 year olds compared to 39 percent of Australian-born youths.

But does it translate into career opportunities?

"They're actually entering the workforce with greater preparation and qualifications than those who are Australian-born, so really their success level should be higher," he said.

Zhang Xin is frustrated that her qualifications take a backseat when it comes to interview time.

There is an intolerance, I feel, if I stumble over my English, or I don't present in a culturally familiar way. I'm afraid I wear my interviewers patience down with language."

And while language and cultural barriers were the perceived barriers to the workforce for CALD youths, Professor Hugo said discrimination was a factor as well.

Chen was keen to say that this was a misnomer.

"It's up to the individual to overcome their employment challenges."

Discrimination exists everywhere and genuine talent and genuine need are powerful metrics. Put them together and those barriers will shatter quickly.