Young people, unemployment and training

Figures released by the Department for Education on 25 June reveal that the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) is at the lowest level since comparable records began 20 years ago.

The statistics also show the number of 16 to 18-year-olds NEET has dropped by more than a quarter since the end of 2009. Education Secretary Michael Gove has credited the fall on the government reforms to education and training.

The figures show that for England at the end of 2013:

• There were 33,400 fewer 16 to 18-year-olds NEET than in 2012, a drop of almost a fifth in one year, and 55,200 fewer NEETs since the end of 2009;
• The proportion of 16 to 18-year olds NEET is also down to 7.6 percent, the lowest rate since comparable records began in 1994;
• There are now more than half a million 16-year-olds in full-time education, up 16,200 on last year; and
• The number of 16-year-olds NEET fell by almost 12,000, the largest fall seen since comparable records began.

The government states that its reforms mean that more and more young people are being given the chance to fulfill their potential, through studying or training, embarking on an apprenticeship or traineeship or entering the world of work.

The government has a package of measures that aim to help young people get the best possible start in life, including:

• Introducing a new curriculum and qualifications, ensuring proper preparation for further and higher education, and employment;
• Ensuring that young people who have not achieved at least a C in GCSE English or maths must continue studying those subjects up to the age of 18;
• Removing low-quality vocational qualifications from league tables in favour of courses proven to deliver the skills employers demand;
• A £30million package of funding designed to improve the prospects of up to 20,000 vulnerable young people, helping to prevent them becoming NEET;
• A new programme of traineeships to help those aged 16 to 23 to develop the skills and vital experience they need to secure apprenticeships and other sustainable jobs;
• Spending £7.2 billion in 2014 to 2015 to fund a place in education or training for every 16 or 17-year-old who wants one;
• Encouraging schools and colleges to use employers to mentor and inspire young people towards ambitious careers, as part of revamped careers guidance; and
• Raising the participation age so that young people in England are now required to continue in education or training beyond the age of 16.

Communities Inc have been working with young black people to produce a simple job seeker’s guide that covers the key barriers to securing a job. The guide was produced following the social enterprise’s previous involvement in the Ready to Work partnership project, where young black people were confused and struggled to make sense of job seeking resources they had access to. Aimed at young people, the guide aims to be visually appealing and sets out top tips in where to look for a job, how to apply and how to do a good interview. To download the guide visit www.communitiesinc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/small-web.pdf.