Young Australians disillusioned about future careers

Young Australians are concerned their career dreams for the future may be out of reach, according to the country's biggest annual poll of young people that was released on Monday.

The national Mission Australia Youth Survey reveals a big gap between what young people aspire to and what they actually believe they can achieve.

The vast majority of young people surveyed ranked career success and financial independence as their top two aspirations, yet only around 60 percent felt those goals were actually attainable.

The issue of greatest personal concern for young people in 2014 was coping with stress, with more than one in three respondents expressing high levels of concern, highlighting the immense pressure young Australians are facing in their final years of school.

Mission Australia chief executive officer Catherine Yeomans said government investment was required to ensure young Australians are better supported through the transition into adulthood so they have the opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives.

"Australia's young people have been raised to dream big, but this year's results highlight their serious concerns about whether those dreams are achievable," she said in a statement.

"If governments fail to invest in the right supports for young people as they grapple with these challenges it will leave Australia without the future workforce and strong communities we need to carry the nation forward.

"It is critical that we think more seriously about the future of the Australian labor and housing markets and invest today for the lives and communities we want for our children."

The survey also found the economy and financial matters continue to weigh heavily on the minds of both young males and females, reflecting the financial hardship being felt in many households across the nation and young people's concerns about what it means for their future.

The report also found young people place more importance on their career and financial aspirations than on aspirations for community connections and having a family.