We don’t have much in the way of detail for Rachel Reeves Labour conference commitment of “nothing less than the abolition of long- term youth unemployment”. But based on what was announced it’s going to be nothing like that. According to Reeves, every young person who has been out of work or education for 18 … Continue reading “Nothing less than the abolition of long- term youth unemployment”!
Category: Youth unemployment and youth jobs
A ‘landmark programme’ for NEETs and apprentices or just smoke and mirrors?
The government has launched what’s described as a ‘landmark programme’ to get young people into the workforce. At the end of last week, it announced its ‘Youth Guarantee’ scheme that will match young people to job or training opportunities and will provide all-important foundations for the national roll-out of the programme, ensuring all 18- to … Continue reading A ‘landmark programme’ for NEETs and apprentices or just smoke and mirrors?
Reeves ups the ante on the ‘doing nothing’ NEETs
I posted previously about Labour’s plans for young people who were NEET. https://education-economy-society.com/2024/03/08/labour-comes-after-the-neets/ Previously, the push to get ‘economically inactive’ young people into the labour force was inextricably linked to Labour’s ‘dash for growth’ agenda. Now, nine months into a Labour government, there's a different context. International uncertainties are making even Labour’s limited intentions … Continue reading Reeves ups the ante on the ‘doing nothing’ NEETs
Making Further Education fit for the Future?
The Parliamentary Education Committee has set up an enquiry - Making Further Education fit for the Future? https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/3576/ Any enquiry into this forgotten sector is to be welcome, but its title is rather a misnomer - it isn’t really a enquiry about FE at all. As its subtitle and the initial terms of reference for … Continue reading Making Further Education fit for the Future?
Review the National Curriculum, but also young people and work.
Despite its limited terms of reference, the National Curriculum Review should get rid of the worst aspects of Michael Gove’s 2010 ‘reforms’ – making the curriculum broader, less Eurocentric and more inclusive. At least an element of Creative Arts is likely to be restored, along with greater access to sport and vocational subjects. Given the … Continue reading Review the National Curriculum, but also young people and work.
More than one in seven young people are NEET.
Despite fears that slower wage growth might mean the labour market is ‘cooling’, latest statistics suggest otherwise, with a general participation rate of 75% and unemployment only just above 4%. However, ‘economic inactivity’ – those not working but not looking for work – still sits at over 20%, reflecting what commentators have termed a ‘great … Continue reading More than one in seven young people are NEET.
The return of the NEET
This month’s labour market statistics show the employment rate at 75.5%, a fall of half a percentage point on the previous quarter. Unemployment has also risen by over half a percentage point to 4.3% - up from 3.7% a year ago, though rates of economic inactivity (the number of people not working, but not looking … Continue reading The return of the NEET
Youth joblessness
The UK labour market remains tight, with government now concerned about the shortage of workers pushing up inflation. Though ONS monthly figures show a marginal increase in the unemployment rate for October to December 2022 by 0.1 percentage points on the quarter, to 3.7%, the ‘economic inactivity’ rate (those not in, but not actively looking … Continue reading Youth joblessness
The looming recession, young workers and young NEETs
Rates for UK youth unemployment have been falling sharply since the end of the pandemic. At the height of Covid just over 1 in 7 (13.7%) of the 16-24 age group were recorded as jobless. This had fallen to 10.6% for the first quarter of this year. Young people were the group worst affected by … Continue reading The looming recession, young workers and young NEETs
‘Going solo’ – young people and self employment.
Often encouraged to demonstrate they are part of a new entrepreneurial culture, students and school-leavers invariably see self-employment as a route to both a high income and greater personal freedom. ONS analysis shows one in five (21%) 16- to 21-year-olds say it is likely they will be self-employed at some point in the future. In 1975, … Continue reading ‘Going solo’ – young people and self employment.
