Breaking Barriers or Reinforcing Them? Why Transition Support Must Start Earlier and Go Further

At the recent Breaking Barriers Collective, hosted by FE News and the Edge Foundation, over 60 leaders from across education, policy and business joined young people to confront a growing “crisis of opportunity.” With more than one million 16–24-year-olds now NEET, the event focused on turning discussion into action, shaping solutions to inform national policy and address the fragmented systems that continue to hold young people back. The message (for me) was clear: despite strong intent and well-intentioned policy, the system is still not delivering the coherent, accessible support needed for successful transitions into employment and/or training.

Complexity is Still the Biggest Barrier

During the day it became clear that there is growing support available to employers and young people, but navigating it is another matter entirely. For many, the system feels like a patchwork of initiatives with different rules, entry points and eligibility criteria.

What’s missing is coherence.

A “one-stop shop” approach – designed differently for young people and employers but aligned in purpose would go a long way in broadening access. Making it simple, intuitive and quick to find the right support is not an added benefit, it has to be fundamental to build engagement.

Without this, the system risks continuing to serve those who already know how to navigate it, rather than those who need it most.

Transition is a Journey

Too often, transition into employment or training is treated as something that happens at 15 or 16. But the discussions at the event reinforced a much broader view: this needs to be an 11–24 priority.

If we wait until the point of exit from compulsory education, we are already too late.

An “upstream” approach, embedding careers awareness, employability skills and system navigation much earlier, would better prepare young people for the realities of the labour market. Crucially, it could also help prevent disengagement before it begins.

Data Sharing: The Missing Enabler

One of the most persistent frustrations in the system is delay. Support that takes months to coordinate is often support that arrives too late.

Better data sharing across education, employment and welfare systems could significantly reduce this lag. Linking datasets would enable earlier identification of need, faster intervention and more coordinated support journeys.

The direction of travel is encouraging, but without pace, momentum will stall. Young people cannot afford a system that moves slowly, impetus is needed to ensure that young people of today and tomorrow have access to the support they need.

Eligibility Rules Are They Locking People Out?

While current initiatives provide valuable support, their design can unintentionally exclude the very young people they aim to help.

Eligibility thresholds, such as requiring long periods unemployment before accessing support risk creating perverse incentives. Waiting months to qualify for meaningful intervention is not a strategy for prevention, what does it communicate to those young people who may have been NEET for a short period and may only need an intensive period of engagement to see a positive outcome?

A more flexible, responsive approach where support is available earlier and tailored to need would better reflect the realities of young people’s lives.

From Entry to Sustainability: Avoiding the “Cliff Edge”

Getting a young person into a job is only half the battle. What happens next is just as critical.

There is a growing concern that the system is becoming increasingly focussed opening doors, but far less so at supporting young people to stay in work and progress. This “cliff edge” where support often drops away after initial employment risks undoing early gains.

More structured in-work support, particularly for those who need additional help to thrive, would benefit both individuals and employers especially SMEs. This support shouldn’t just be limited to those who are the hardest to reach.

Could reframing employer incentives play a role here? Moving beyond simple financial support to include recognition mechanisms such as kitemarks or digital credentials could help identify and reward employers who actively champion young people. Allied to better data sharing, employers could earn rewards even if the young person leaves their employment and moves to alternative employment.

Skills Passports, can we go further?

The idea of a skills passport gained strong support during discussions on the day, but with a clear caveat: it must empower young people, not simply track them.

An “appified” model, where individuals curate and control their own skills, experiences and achievements, offers significant potential. Giving young people ownership over how their information is shared with employers could boost confidence, improve job matching and streamline application processes.

Centralisation Without Uniformity

Another key insight was the value of centralising access to services.

Bringing together careers advice, CV support, employment guidance, financial help and elements of health and wellbeing in one place (physically or digitally) could remove a major barrier to engagement. For many young people, navigating multiple agencies is not just inconvenient; it is prohibitive.

Delivering this support in familiar, trusted locations would further reduce friction and may improve take-up.

The Need for Shared Accountability

Ultimately, the fragmentation of support reflects a deeper issue: a lack of shared accountability.

Education, employment, welfare and health systems all play a role in supporting young people—but too often operate in silos. Without clearer alignment and collective ownership of outcomes, gaps are inevitable.

And it is young people who fall through them.

The Question That Remains

The direction of travel is positive. The intent is clear. The ideas are on the table.

But the central question remains:

Can the system pivot quickly enough to turn ambition into impact?

By Paul Stannard, Senior Policy Manager AELP

Paul was the lead Facilitator of the Employment Support Working Group