Does the Youth Employment Drive go far enough to Support Young People into the World of Work?

The announcement of the major youth employment drive is a welcome – and much needed – step to ensuring we’re equipping young people with real world skills that employers actually need. But, Kristian Webber, employment expert at JENZA, argues, does it go far enough?

The traditional path of full-time education to university is no longer a viable option for many young people due to the combination of rising cost of living and all-time high university fees. The unwillingness to study for three – or more – years only to end up in tens of thousands of pounds of debt and with no guarantee of employment is understandable.

Young people want and deserve the opportunity to gain the real-world skills offered by apprenticeships and internships. So, the combination of new hospitality and retail apprenticeships, offering up to £2,000 for employers to support 16-21 year olds into work, an additional £1 billion to be invested in grants to help unlock over 200,000 paid jobs for young people, and the expansion of the Jobs Guarantee from ages 18-21 to 18-24 are welcome. These are clearly steps in the right direction but whether they go far enough is another question altogether.

Cast your mind back to your twenties, did you know what you wanted to do at age 18? Did you have a career path in mind at 23? If you’re anything like me, probably not. So, why are we assuming that today’s twenty somethings are any different?

For those who know what they want to do with their life, these reforms will be a huge advantage but for those that don’t, what next?

For too long, we’ve pigeonholed our young people into an archaic system based on either going to university or directly entering the world of work. And don’t bother mentioning those that opt for a gap year which for too long has been looked down on as nothing more than a stop gap between college/sixth form and the ‘real world’. It’s no wonder there’s been a 37% increase in young people neither earning nor learning – we’re expecting them to leave full time education, where they’ve been told where to go and what to do for 18 years and make one of the most crucial decisions of their life. The expectations are simply too high.

If we want young people to reach their full potential, we first need to allow them space to learn about themselves. Away from the safety net of parents and teachers, who are they, what are they good at and what do they enjoy? If they can’t answer these basic questions at 18 or 24, how can we expect them to decide on a career path.

Whilst I’m not suggesting that it’s viable for the government to extend these measures to those age 24+, it’s important for young people, their parents and guardians, and teachers to remember that there are yet still more options to be explored. For example, many international internships and work abroad programmes are designed to help people age 18-30+ gain employment experience and develop key human skills such as communication, resilience, teamwork, adaptability and problem solving whilst also affording the opportunity to travel.

Albeit living and working abroad – whether it’s for weeks, months or even years – isn’t for everyone, for those that do want to spread their wings, it offers the opportunity try multiple roles and industries, boosting employability even before committing to a set career path. The career opportunities are far wider ranging than many even realise, from marketing to construction work to hospitality and retail. And crucially it means young people never have to choose between getting a job or going travelling.

So, whilst the current youth employment drive is certainly welcome, making sure young people are aware of all the opportunities to earn and enhance their employability – whether they are 18 or 28 – remains a priority.

By Kristian Webber, employment expert at JENZA