The youth employment challenge & opportunity
Young people across the UK - especially those from marginalised backgrounds - are facing systemic barriers to good work and training. Discover how we can collectively drive evidence-informed change.
Now is a pivotal moment for young people
The rate of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK remains stubbornly high at 1 in 8, with large costs to young people’s futures and the wider economy.
Mental ill-health is on the rise, quality apprenticeship routes are declining, and there are fewer opportunities to find good work.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you work; there are systematic barriers that prevent young people from marginalised demographics from achieving certain goals or careers that are otherwise easier to access for those who have the support and resources.
Farzana - Future Voices Group Ambassador
Change is achievable – and proven
This is a challenge we can meet. Other countries in the OECD have significantly reduced their NEET rates through targeted, evidence-based action.
With the right focus, the UK can achieve the same.
If we match the Netherlands’ youth participation rate – where just 1 in 20 young people are NEET – the economic and social gains would be substantial
567,000 more young people earning and learning
An £86 billion long-term boost to the UK economy
Turning the tide
To ensure a better future for our young people we need a sustainable system-wide approach that integrates solutions and cuts across employment, education, skills, youth policy, the labour market and more.
Four immediate priorities are:
Preventing young people becoming NEET in the first place
An ambitious Youth Guarantee, accessible to every young person, with a built-in wage subsidy scheme
Strengthening our apprenticeships and skills system
Addressing mental health as a barrier to participation