Lack of experience and confidence holding young job seekers back
A third of unemployed young people think they will never get a job, according to a survey by the University and College Union (UCU).
This is despite a strong desire among the vast majority of Neets (young people not in employment, education or training) to find and hold down a job or be offered the opportunity to train.
The survey of more than 1,000 Neets found that nine in 10 aspire to be in work, education or training but a third feel they have 'no chance' of ever getting a job. Worryingly, more than a third of those surveyed said they ‘rarely leave the house’, two-fifths feel they are 'not part of society', and a third have suffered depression.
Survey respondents said the main barriers to finding work or study were that they lacked experience (47 per cent); they lacked confidence (25 per cent); and 28 per cent highlighted the dearth of suitable well-paid jobs.
However, 71 per cent of Neets said that with the right support they could contribute 'a lot to this country'. Almost half (46 per cent) said they needed help to boost their confidence and 36 per cent wanted a motivational boost. One in three said they wanted good quality advice about applying for jobs and nearly a quarter wanted clear information about opportunities.
Professor Robin Simmons of the University of Huddersfield, an expert on Neets, called the report's findings “disturbing and sobering”.
“The research illustrates the corrosive effect that unemployment can have on a young person's confidence, motivation, and their view of the future.
“A significant proportion of young people outside education and work possess high-level skills and qualifications, which suggests that youth unemployment is related as much to the availability of employment and the particular nature of jobs available to young people as it is to their individual and personal qualities and dispositions.”
Simon Renton, UCU president, commented: “It is truly heartbreaking to see so many people who want to contribute more to society but are left feeling their outlook is desperate and hopeless.
“The individual human tragedy is only part of the story as young people outside education or work cost the country millions of pounds every year. We need to give our young people a commitment of proper guidance and stable, properly rewarded jobs, or educational opportunities.
“This will mean central and local government, employers, schools, colleges and universities working together.”
This week, the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced a government review of employment and training options for 16 to 24-year-olds.
Speaking at the CBI annual dinner, Clegg said that school leavers and employers faced a “maze” of programmes and initiatives designed to prepare and support young job seekers into work. The review will examine how the system can be simplified.