Looking ahead: why forward-looking insight matters for youth employment

In this blog, Interim Deputy CEO and Director of Impact and Evidence, Chris Goulden discusses the importance of joined-up, forward-looking data for effective decision making.

Young people are entering a labour market shaped by economic uncertainty, changing skills demands, technological shifts and significant policy reform. At the same time, rates of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) remain stubbornly high.

Young people’s early experiences can have lasting impacts on their future earnings, wellbeing and opportunities, as well as broader implications for the UK economy. Understanding what is happening in real time and what may happen next is increasingly important for those shaping youth employment policy and practice.

The stakes are high – why good data matters

Decision makers need reliable evidence to target resources effectively and respond appropriately to real-world needs.

While there is no shortage of labour market data, policymakers, funders, employers and delivery organisations often face challenges accessing credible, actionable, timely and relevant information rooted in the breadth of young people’s experiences.

Information is fragmented across sources, often published with significant lag, and rarely assembled in ways that help decision makers understand implications for young people. This limits our ability to act.

What Youth Futures is doing to fill the gap

We have invested in developing innovative tools and pioneering analytical approaches that provide a richer, more integrated understanding of youth employment. These are built on rigorous and transparent methods, and developed with policymakers, practitioners and employers in mind, helping translate evidence into decisions.

By bringing together employment, education, health and wider youth outcomes in one place, our data dashboard helps users understand how different trends interact, creating a more complete picture of the challenges and opportunities facing young people.

We also provide additional insight on current NEET trends through our quarterly analysis series, looking beyond headline figures to shed light on drivers and uncover patterns.

But this is only part of the picture. Most labour market data tells us where we have been. Effective decision making also requires an understanding of where we may be heading, which is why we’re designing forecasting models.

Our aim is not simply to describe labour market conditions, but to help the youth employment system anticipate change, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and respond strategically with planning and policy development.

Better data is only valuable if it can inform decisions

By combining current trends, the experiences of young people and forward-looking analysis, we aim to support more effective policy, smarter investment, stronger employer practice and better-designed services.

High-quality evidence about what works remains essential. But in a rapidly changing labour market, understanding emerging trends and anticipating future challenges is increasingly important too.

By investing in innovative analysis, Youth Futures is helping ensure the people shaping youth employment policy and practice have the insight they need.

Together, rigorous evidence and forward-looking insight can help ensure that policy, practice and investment decisions give more young people the opportunity to access good work in the future.