A new CIPD study has revealed poor perceptions of young people at work, with half (52%) of UK employers believing they are not ready for the workplace.
The professional body for HR and people development’s research further found that 28% of organisations that had hired a 16 to 24-year-old in the past year think people in this age group are well prepared for the workplace.
According to its Changing Face of the Youth Labour Market report, 64% of employers think young people frequently lack important social skills, while 71% say they don’t always know how to behave at work.
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More than half (56%) believe this generation is harder to manage than previous ones, with 34% saying they don’t think young people are generally good communicators in the workplace.
The report also highlighted that only 6% of young people are studying for an apprenticeship, which the CIPD believes highlights a need to increase opportunities for this age group to “earn and learn”.
It believes the implementation of an Apprenticeship Guarantee for all 16 to 24-year-olds would enable more young people to develop key skills – including communication, teamwork and problem-solving – while providing extra vocational routes into work through learning on the job.
Lizzie Crowley, senior skills adviser at the CIPD, said: “There are some fantastic skills and ideas that young people bring to the workplace, but there are also some significant challenges that they face in adjusting to working life. While studying for a degree is still the default choice for many, too many young people are disadvantaged because they have limited opportunities to develop an understanding of what’s expected in the workplace, or to take that first step into employment.”
Calling for “bolder action” from the government, she said it needed to establish apprenticeships as a viable alternative to university.
Crowley added: “ The government’s Youth Guarantee is a step in the right direction, but we want to see the government broaden out its ambition to benefit all young people aged 16-24 through introducing an Apprenticeship Guarantee. This will help better prepare them for working life and gain valuable skills, earn while they learn and give employers a skilled talent pipeline.”
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