Jobs for the young – FT.com

With youth unemployment standing at a near-record 22 per cent in the UK, talk of a “lost generation” is growing ever louder. Policymakers are right to be concerned.

Of course, the fact that the young are struggling to find work is largely a question of demand. The economic environment is making businesses wary of hiring new workers and this disproportionately affects those who are looking for their first job. It has become harder to get a foot on the bottom rung of the work ladder.

However, there are also problems with supply. Businesses are increasingly worried that school-leavers are not equipped with the skills needed in the work place. In a report published on Tuesday by a group of leading employers, 36 per cent of the companies surveyed said that the education system was not meeting their needs.

The failures identified include basic literacy and numeracy. This reflects problems throughout the school system, starting in primaries – particularly those in deprived areas. But businesses also claim that young recruits lack basic workplace skills, such as teamwork, communications and personal presentation.

via Jobs for the young – FT.com.