Young people still confident of landing jobs, despite challenging outlook

With A Level results day happening this week, and GCSEs next, research from jobs’ website Indeed has found 70% of young people remain confident about starting out in the workplace.

This is despite the fact latest data from the Office for National Statistics has pointed to the jobs’ market remaining seriously challenging, especially for younger workers, graduates and new entrants, this summer and into the autumn.

The survey of 1,000 16-19-year-olds and 500 employers in the UK found that, despite the economic uncertainty, almost two-thirds (65%) of young people feel hopeful about their future career prospects.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) believed they have valuable skills to offer employers, with almost a third (32%) saying they already have AI skills that could benefit the workplace. Nearly half (48%) were interested in learning to use AI tools to help them at work.

Encouragingly, 62% of young people already know what they want to do after school, and 70% believe there are many paths into work beyond university.

More than two-thirds (68%) of employers, meanwhile, felt a degree isn’t essential for entry-level roles, and 71% did not view limited work experience as a barrier.

A total of 81% of the young people polled nevertheless believed their educational qualifications were important for future career success.

However, only a third (34%) of young people had received helpful career guidance at school, although 60% had benefited from advice from mentors or adults.

Matt Price, senior director at Indeed, said of the findings: “Despite economic uncertainty and shifts in the UK jobs market, young people today are still preparing to enter the workforce with confidence, adaptability and a strong sense of their own value.

“At the same time, employers are showing recognition of the ambitions of this generation, prioritising attitude and a willingness to learn over traditional qualifications.”

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