Today we heard that the GCSE pass rate fell again and that there are 24,000 more young people who are neither earning nor learning.
Young people have come through bumpy times at secondary school, where they had to endure isolation during the pandemic, and are now facing a difficult jobs market.
The figures for those aged 16-24 not in employment, education or training (NEET) for April-June, released today, total 948,000. That’s around 1 in 8 young people in the UK.
The rise vs the previous quarter reverses some of the progress made at the start of the year, when the total dropped from 987,000 to 923,000. The latest rise is driven by young women – 25,000 more of them aren’t earning or learning.
This could be because the sectors of retail and hospitality – popular choices for women getting their first job – have been particularly affected by April’s National Insurance increase.
Resurgo CEO Iona Ledwidge said: “These new figures represent a growing mountain of untapped talent and are a clear signal that the government needs to speed up its work to support young people into work or education.
“More than half of these young people have never had a job. Joblessness is a bottomless pit – the further you go into it, the harder it is to climb out. But we’ve seen thousands climb out and thrive. Tailored coaching in work-ready skills over a sustained period is the ladder.
“Mental health issues are common among this generation, who were affected by the pandemic. But this needn’t be a barrier to employment. Among our trainees, 68% of those who have a mental health issue are earning or learning a year after they finish Spear.“
GCSE pass rate falls
The news comes on the same day that GCSE results are released. This year, the pass rate has dropped again, and is now 67.4%.
According to a recent study by the youth charity Impetus - Backing the best, young people with fewer than five GCSEs are 75% more likely to be jobless and not in education than average. And if they also come from a poorer background, they’re around 130% more likely than the average.
But with the right, tailored support, young people even from these backgrounds can succeed in work and education - and thrive. Not only does this benefit them, it benefits the country.
Billions extra for the economy
The UK could add £69 billion to the economy if we reduced the number of NEET young people to levels in the Netherlands, according to an estimate by the Youth Employment Group.
The Spear Programme, run by the youth employment charity Resurgo, is among the best-evidenced interventions that work to get young people earning or learning. Those aged 16-24 are given access to free, tailored coaching at one of 18 Spear Centres across England and Wales. Three in four of those who finish Spear are in work or education a year later.