Young people and employment

Skills Effect has published Voluntary Sector Employers’ Perspectives on the Recruitment of Young People, a report based on analysis of a survey of 15,000 employers, including 1,300 from the voluntary sector, which found that:

• 51 percent of voluntary sector employers had taken on a young person in the last 12 months, compared with 65 percent of private sector employers; and
• Among employers who had not recruited a young person over the same 12 months, 51 percent said this was because none had applied whilst other popular reasons included 16 percent said a lack of skills, 13 percent said a lack of qualifications and 29 percent said a lack of experience.

For further information and to download the report visit http://skillseffect.org.uk/voluntary-sector-lags-behind-private-sector-in-employing-young-people.  

The Office for National Statistics has published the latest labour market statistics, which show that:

• In the three months to January 2014, there were 3.69 million 16 to 24 year olds in employment, up 43,000 on the previous quarter;
• There were 912,000 unemployed 16 to 24 years olds, down 29,000 from the previous quarter and down 81,000 on the same quarter in 2012;
• The unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 19.8 percent, down 0.7 percentage points from the previous quarter; and
• The number of 16 to 24 years olds unemployed for over a year decreased to 246,000 from 267,000, and the number unemployed for over two years decreased to 105,000 from 106,000.

For further information and to download the full statistics visit www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/march-2014/statistical-bulletin.html#tab-Young-People-in-the-Labour-Market.