Arthur Smith did everything he was told to do. The 18-year-old from Northampton completed a Level 2 IT course at college last summer, undertook a week of work experience through college and began applying for jobs before his studies had even finished. Since then, he has submitted at least 110 applications. The result? Nothing.
Arthur has rewritten his CV countless times, sought help from family members and employment advisers, and applied for jobs ranging from retail to apprenticeships. Most applications disappear into the void. Occasionally, weeks later, a generic rejection email appears in his inbox. But more often than not, there is silence. He has applied for everything from retail to fast food.
“It makes me feel like they don’t care,” he tells The i Paper. “Like I’m just another name on a sheet.”
Shorts
Arthur is one of a growing number of young men who find themselves not in education, employment or training – the category known by the inelegant acronym NEET. New figures show that the number of men aged 16 to 24 who fall into this category has risen by 40 per cent in recent years. For women, the increase has been seven per cent.
