Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEarly careersEconomics, government & businessLabour marketRecruitment & retention

Government and businesses must do more to tackle youth unemployment, REC warns

by Personnel Today 5 Jul 2010
by Personnel Today 5 Jul 2010

The government and businesses must do more to tackle youth unemployment to prevent a “lost generation” of jobless, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has warned.

A report by the REC has recommended an overhaul of schools career services and a drive to increase good quality internships.

Currently, there are 2.47 million people in the UK who are unemployed, with 713,000 of those aged between 18 to 24.

The REC’s Youth Employment Taskforce said the direct cost of youth unemployment is £4.7bn a year and has argued that although the public sector is facing the deepest spending cuts in decades, existing sources of funding could be more effectively targeted.

Margaret Prosser, chairman of the REC’s taskforce, said “it’s not about new money”.

She added: “What we do expect is for funding to be effectively targeted and to deliver real progress. Employers, recruiters, welfare providers, trade unions and educationalists all have a critical role to play in addressing one the greatest challenges facing our society.”

The taskforce warned the current careers advice service offered to school and university leavers was failing to prepare them for the world of work.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC, said: “Young jobseekers are not getting the skills and experience they need to take the crucial first step onto the jobs ladder. As a country, we are not building the talent pipeline that we need to compete over the next decade.

“The ‘expectations gap’ that currently exists between jobseekers and employers is a real challenge but is one that can be addressed by improving links between business and educationalists.”

The REC has said young people must be given some understanding of the world of work by the time they are 14, and specific targets and incentives should be set for schools and colleges to develop employer-led careers guidance.

Businesses and recruiters should also invest time and resources in partnering with education providers, the Daily Telegraph has reported.

The REC also urged the government to ensure funded training schemes reflect the current and future skills needs of employers and that employment should be stimulated through a two-year national insurance holiday for each additional young person employed in the private sector.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

New technical academies should also be created to offer vocational training and qualifications.

The taskforce will meet again in October. “This is the start of a conversation. We’re trying to influence the agenda,” said Green.

Personnel Today

previous post
FTSE 100 bosses see their pay rise by 5% to £3.1m despite the recession
next post
Equality Act will be implemented in October but government refuses to outline equal pay intentions

You may also like

Number of Neet women rises but figures fall...

23 May 2025

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

23 May 2025

Unions ponder strike action after public sector pay...

23 May 2025

Personnel Today Awards 2025: Three weeks left to...

23 May 2025

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, judge...

23 May 2025

Flexible working for teachers initiative extended

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+