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Sainsbury’s has just launched a plan to give 10,000 young people work experience opportunities to help them “develop skills, build confidence and gain insight into future careers”. Andy Burnham thinks it’s a great idea, and he’s probably right.
Our new Prime Minister said: “I encourage more businesses across the country to do the same. Access to opportunity and work experience shouldn’t depend on who you know; it should be within reach for every young person wherever they live – and that’s what I’m determined to deliver.”
The background of the rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets) has been widely reported. It’s a huge global problem, as the International Labour Organisation recently reported.
While the UK is by no means top – or perhaps it’s better to say the bottom – of the global league table here, we now have a higher proportion of Neets than the EU average, whereas a decade ago we were lower. The worrying point here is that while our overall unemployment level is lower than the EU (though higher than the US), our youth unemployment rate is over 16 per cent and heading in the wrong direction.
