Paris Job Market: Discrimination fosters entrenched unemployment

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Unemployment in France has fallen to its lowest level since 2009 - but, amid growing confidence in the economy following the election of President Emmanuel Macron, it remains at 25 percent in the run-down suburbs of Paris, and 45 percent among under 25s. Analysts say discrimination contributes to entrenched unemployment in ethnic minority areas. Elena Casas reports.

Aissata Kagnassy is 19 and wants to work in tourism - at this workshop, she's making a video CV to help improve her presentation skills. She lives in a Paris suburb where almost half of under 25s are unemployed - and the confidence boost she's getting here could be key to helping her find a job.

AISSATA KAGNASSY STUDENT "I've learnt that there's no reason to be shy, I think I express myself better now, and there are lots of people around us here to encourage us, who've given us confidence, so you can see that in the video I made."

The training team say young people in Paris' deprived suburbs are cut off from the job market, and often have little idea what employers are looking for.

EDWIGE LOWE, TRAINER FOUNDATION FACE "Their lack of knowledge of the job market creates problems for them, they don't know how to present themselves at all, they don't know what to say or how they can still be of value to an employer, even if they don't have many qualifications."

The team here says schools should teach more practical skills to help young people find work - but explicit discrimination also plays a role. Anti-police protests a few years ago have given this area, Chanteloup-les-Vignes, a bad reputation, like many suburbs in Paris.

ELENA CASAS PARIS Even the candidate's address can affect their chances - the training team here advise young people not to mention the name of their town on their CVs, out of fear employers may throw them straight in the bin. Evidence shows French employers also discriminate on the ground of race - often simply by looking at the name on someone's CV.

PATRICK SIMON DISCRIMINATION DEMOGRAPHER "We have a bunch of studies that show the chances of getting invited for a job interview when you have an Arabic name, depending on the test, is between two and a half and three times lower than someone with a French sounding name."

President Macron has launched a plan to tackle unemployment black spots, offering companies a bonus of up to 5,000 euros for hiring someone from a deprived area. Campaigners say it's a step in the right direction - but they also want the government to crack down on employers who break the law against discrimination. Elena Casas, CGTN, Paris.