A new report from the Jobs Foundation has declared that the system designed to help young people gain work experience is 'broken in ways that go beyond logistics'. The charity's findings reveal significant barriers for both schools and businesses, exacerbating the crisis of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Schools and businesses face major hurdles
The report highlights that 74% of schools find it difficult to organise work placements, while almost half of businesses do not offer work experience due to time constraints and staff capacity issues. Rising costs, logistical pressures, and growing statutory requirements further complicate matters for schools.
Chef Tom Kerridge, who provides work experience in his restaurants, emphasised the value of early exposure. He told the report: 'I always think it's so hard to get into those kinds of first jobs when you're very young, and I think they're very beneficial.' He noted that people 'get the bug' after spending a couple of hours a week in a workplace.
The NEET crisis deepens
In May, former Health Secretary Alan Milburn released a major report describing the growing number of NEETs as a 'moral crisis'. Office for National Statistics data shows that the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training surpassed one million in the first quarter of this year. Milburn's report forecasts that 16% of young people in the UK could become NEET within five years if no action is taken.
Work engagement reduces NEET risk
A study by the Education and Employers charity last month found that young people with high engagement with the world of work are 80% less likely to become NEET. Chief executive Nick Chambers warned that the UK 'cannot afford a system where opportunity depends on who your parents know'. He praised the government's commitment to providing two weeks of work experience for every young person but cautioned: 'Without the right infrastructure, support and coordination, there is a real danger that we end up advantaging the advantaged and disadvantaging the disadvantaged.'
Government response
A government spokesperson said ministers were 'determined to change' the situation. They stated: 'Backed by £2.5 billion, our Youth Guarantee will deliver a million opportunities across the country, ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn. Our apprenticeship reforms will reverse the 40% fall in starts among young people over the last decade, while Alan Milburn's review is investigating the wider barriers stopping young people from getting into work. Early intervention is also key, and that's why we are supporting families with special educational needs, lifting over half a million children out of poverty, and improving vocational learning to give every young person the best start in life.'
