It’s hardly the greatest time to be a young British adult, trying to
make your way in the cruel new world in which we find ourselves.
Punitive fees and budget-busting living costs mean a university
education is set to once again become the preserve of society’s
wealthier members. With households under immense pressure, many parents
(even those who would be considered fully paid-up members of the middle
classes), simply can’t find the money to pay for their sons and
daughters to go to university.
Hard luck. Welcome to the real world, you might say. Why not go and
get a job like the rest of us? Well, things aren’t that easy. As
reported by the Mail Online in late January, according to a study by the Work Foundation, youth unemployment in the UK has increased at a faster rate than any country in the G8 since the start of the recession five years ago.
Youth unemployment rate
Indeed, out of the countries that make up the OECD (Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development), only Spain and Greece have
higher rates of youth unemployment than the UK (currently standing at
about 1m). Youth unemployment here in the UK among 15 to 24 year olds
increased by a staggering 35 per cent between 2008 and 2011, compared to
an average of 15 per cent in the G8 countries (ie Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK and USA). The politicians should hang
their heads in shame for failing young people so badly, you might say.
According to the Work Foundation report, during the same period youth unemployment decreased
in Germany, Russia and Japan, which, said the report’s authors,
suggests that youth unemployment problems in the UK couldn’t be
attributed entirely to the recession, other factors have clearly played a
part.
One of the report’s author, Lizzie Crowley, said: “'The government
should focus on those policies that have been shown to work,
cherry-picking the best responses from other countries and adapting them
to the needs of the UK labour market.”
Government support
Many experts see apprenticeships as a useful weapon in the fight
against endemic youth unemployment in the UK and elsewhere. The Work
Foundation report recommended that the government should do more to
encourage larger businesses in particular to sign up to an
apprenticeship agreement.
Another report published recently by the Centre for Economics and
Business Research claimed that 3.8m people will complete an
apprenticeship in the next decade, contributing £3.4bn to the UK economy
a year in productivity gains by 2022.
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable,
said: "This research confirms the economic importance of apprenticeships
and sends a clear message that they deliver for employers, individuals
and the economy. I want to see more small and medium-sized businesses
reap the benefits of apprenticeships, which is why we have introduced a £1,500 incentive for SMEs who take on a young person.”
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said apprentices were “vital to
Great British business”. He continued: “They are at the heart of our
drive to provide employers with people who have the skills needed for
their businesses to prosper and compete, often in a global market.”
National Apprenticeship Week
This week, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2013 is taking place. According to the National Apprenticeship Service,
which organises NAW: “Apprenticeships deliver real returns, helping
[you] to improve productivity and be more competitive. Training
apprentices can also be more cost-effective than hiring skilled staff,
leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs.
"Apprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs,
providing the skilled workers you need for the future. They also help
you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest
technology and working practices in your sector.”
Although many employers choose to pay more, the National Minimum Wage
for apprentices is £2.65 per hour, making them an affordable option for
many firms. There are even grants available to some employers. Maybe
it’s time your business joined the fight against youth unemployment and
took on an apprentice. Looks like the politicians need all the help they
can get.
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