Youth unemployment on the way up?

This week's ONS labour market data shows unemployment’s rising again. A slight increase to 3.9% in the last quarter (the number of people working also fell) but enough to suggest that the labour market's cooling.- if not reaching full capacity (pay has continued to grow in real terms). Youth unemployment grew more significantly. Up to 11.2% … Continue reading Youth unemployment on the way up? →

Labour’s £10 minimum wage for under 18s could be part of a real ‘new deal’ for young people.

Jeremy Corbyn’s commitment to include under 18s in Labour’s £10 an hour minimum wage is to be welcomed. As the Labour leader made clear “Equal pay for equal work” is hardly a controversial idea. Under Labour, the hourly pay of workers aged 16 and 17 would more than double. At present, workers under the age … Continue reading Labour’s £10 minimum wage for under 18s could be part of a real ‘new deal’ for young people. →

Record Employment: but the NEETs are still here

ONS figures published last week show a record number of people working – 32.7 million or 76.1% of the population. At 3.9%, unemployment has hit its lowest level since 1975 while the number of those ‘economically inactive’ - people not looking, or not able to work has also never been lower. But if ‘full-employment’ in … Continue reading Record Employment: but the NEETs are still here →

The unemployed, the economically inactive and the NEETs

Figures released today by the ONS show youth unemployment (16-24-year olds) down to 12.2%, still nearly three times the rate for the population generally, but close to the 2001 low of 11.6%. (Youth joblessness reached 22.5% in 2011.) But in many respects, these figures are of limited use. For example, over a third of those recorded … Continue reading The unemployed, the economically inactive and the NEETs →

Education without jobs

Today’s ONS Labour Market Bulletin, provides further data about the changing relationship between young people, education and employment. Even if it’s still much higher than for other age groups, youth unemployment continues to fall. For July to September 2017, joblessness for 16 to 24 year olds was 11.9% ( down from 13.1% a year earlier … Continue reading Education without jobs →

Latest NEET figures published

The latest figures for NEETs (‘Young people not in education, employment or training’) are now available. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/neet-statistics-quarterly-brief-january-to-march-2016 It’s doubtful they’ll produce any headlines, as like the figures for youth unemployment they show a further (if slight) fall. 11.7% of all 16-24 year olds in England are NEET compared with 12.3% a year previously – this … Continue reading Latest NEET figures published →

The NEET problem is also a jobs problem

Recently released figures, show a fall in the proportion of NEETS, down from 13% to 12.3% of all 16-24 year olds. According to Skills Minister Nick Boles, this ‘demonstrates that our economic plan is working’ –yet there are still 943 000 young people being in this category. Take a look at the figures in more … Continue reading The NEET problem is also a jobs problem →

Still nearly 1 million NEETS

While unemployment amongst 16-24 year olds has fallen (down nearly 200 000 compared with a year ago), it still remains much higher than that for the population as a whole. What’s more the figures for the last quarter of 2014 show a small increase. Latest ONS figures for NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training) … Continue reading Still nearly 1 million NEETS →

More young people now working. But in what and for what?

The latest labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics for May to September (www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/september-2014/statistical-bulletin.html) show significant falls in unemployment amongst 16-24 years – down to 747 000 (16.6%) from 960 000 (12%) a year ago and from 853 000 over the last quarter. Amongst those between 18-24 year who are not in full-time … Continue reading More young people now working. But in what and for what? →

Back to school for some of the NEETS: but for what sort of learning?

New Government figures (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lowest-rate-of-young-people-neet-for-20-years) show the number of 16-18 year old NEETS at the lowest level for 20 years with a drop of a fifth over the last year. 81% of the age group were in education or work based training at the end of 2013 (70% in full-time school or college). The reduction in … Continue reading Back to school for some of the NEETS: but for what sort of learning? →