Skills for the Job: Prepare young people for work

What is the scale of the challenge facing young people in today’s jobs market?

Although the latest figures show that youth unemployment is falling, the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (Neet) remains persistently high. Across the UK, almost 750,000 young people are registered as unemployed, while the proportion of young people not claiming jobseeker’s allowance – therefore not receiving official help with job search – has risen by over 30 percentage points since October 2012.

Research shows that being out of learning and work for a sustained period while young has negative and long-term consequences upon lifetime earnings, future periods of unemployment, housing and homelessness, mental and physical health, and much more.

How have the needs of employers changed?

The structure of the UK economy is changing, with fewer entry-level jobs available. Competition is high and a young person entering the jobs market without work experience and a good understanding of what employers are looking for is therefore at significant disadvantage.

Unfortunately, while two-thirds of employers say that work experience is a significant factor when recruiting, only 20 per cent offer it to schools and 12 per cent to colleges, leaving many young people in a catch-22 situation. Increasing pressure to get good grades alongside reduced opportunities for part-time jobs means young people are also less likely to take on part-time work alongside their studies.

Supporting them to gain volunteering/work experience, or even engage with local employers, can help them get ahead.

What are employers looking for?