Tackling the Challenge that is Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment is a significant concern across the UK, and recent data unveiled at the West London Youth Careers Summit for that region alone painted a stark picture: 2.2 million 16-25-year-olds live in Greater London, and while the national unemployment rate stands at 4.4%, the youth unemployment rate in London is a staggering 16.8%.

So what can be done? After all, the challenges are multifaceted, ranging from skills mismatches and economic inequality to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many young people, the transition from education to employment is fraught with obstacles, including limited access to work experience and a lack of industry-specific training.

In West London, we believe tackling the youth unemployment crisis necessitates pan-sector coordinated action.

Pan-sector coordinated action

On 14^th November 2024, the second West London Youth Careers Summit brought together stakeholders from across the region to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Convened by West London Alliance, West London Business, West London Careers Hub, and Spark!, the summit marked a significant step forward in building pathways to meaningful employment for young people. By fostering collaboration among employers, the public sector, FE Colleges, Universities, independent training providers, and the non profit sector, the summit sought to lay the groundwork for West London to become a beacon of youth employment opportunities.

The summit kickstarted the development of a roadmap to significantly reduce youth unemployment and boost productivity and growth across West London. Three key objectives guided the discussions:

• Develop cross-sector relationships to drive significant improvements in youth employment by sharing best practice that might otherwise be stuck in silos.
• Agree on shared solutions to address local skills shortages and entrenched youth unemployment – for example, increased use of the Careers and Enterprise (CEC) Employer Standards  to raise engagement and ensure quality is maintained.
• Agree on practical actions to build systems that support young people at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) into good local employment.

Shortly after the summit, the Labour government unveiled its ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper, which includes the transformative Youth Guarantee initiative. Designed to ensure that every young person has access to education, training, or employment, the Youth Guarantee aligns closely with the objectives discussed at the summit. Together, these local and national efforts promise to not only tackle youth unemployment but also establish West London as a model for collective action and innovation.

Young people also identified their top three barriers to securing employment: lack of work experience, anxiety, and a lack of local job opportunities. These obstacles highlight the need for targeted interventions and collaborative efforts to support young people as they transition into the workforce.

Poorvi Patel, Head of Education, Employment and Skills at Heathrow, emphasised the vital importance of collective action: “These are young people very real to us; they are our children, our grandchildren, the children of our neighbours and friends. We can all take action to make a difference.” For their part, the airport’s Skills Academy has just added Generation Aviation to their portfolio of projects.

Although the Government’s Youth Guarantee was not a central focus of the summit itself, its principles align closely with the objectives discussed. West London partners are optimistic about leveraging the policy’s framework to scale up existing initiatives and launch new programmes to support young people. The emphasis on collaboration and targeted investment reflects the core principles of the Youth Guarantee.

Looking ahead, participants at the Summit shared a vision of West London as a hub for youth employment and innovation. Key takeaways included the importance of sustained collaboration, breaking down barriers between business and education to build impactful partnerships who can plan together and the potential of West London’s young people to drive positive change.  To enable these changes to take place at a scale, more funding and investment is needed.

The four summit partners plan to build on the momentum generated by the summit by identifying champions from the stakeholder partners who can promote and aid delivery of the youth employment roadmap. With the Youth Guarantee providing a national framework and the collaborative spirit of the region’s stakeholders, the future is starting to look more promising for young people in West London.

The West London Youth Careers Summit was more than just an event; it was a call to action. By bringing together employers, the public sector, education providers, and the nonprofit sector, the summit showcased the power of collective action in tackling youth unemployment.  As the UK’s second largest economic cluster with 1 million workers, and a £70 billion+ local economy, the region has an unprecedented opportunity to lead the way in creating a brighter future for its young people.

Summing up the collective passion at the event, one participant stated; “This summit is just the beginning. By working together, we can ensure that every young person in West London has the opportunity to succeed.”

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about real lives and the opportunity to create a future where every young person in West London has the chance to thrive. The journey ahead may be challenging, but the commitment and collaboration displayed at the summit offer hope and inspiration for what’s to come.

By Anna Gration is the Skills and Employment Partnership Director at West London Business