Work experience 'lottery' fuelling youth unemployment figures, with Hull among worst spots for young job-seekers
New report from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) finds young people in certain parts of the country face inherent disadvantages when preparing themselves for work, with significant geographic differences for numbers of employers offering work experience.
- Employers letting young people down in the places where they need most help
- Employers in Hull and surrounding areas are some of the least likely to provide work experience
Young people face a postcode lottery when trying to prepare themselves for work, with employers in Humberside amongst the least likely in England to offer work experience, a report published today shows.
The report, Catch 16-24, from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, places the area among the worst locations in England for 16 to 24-year-olds to prepare themselves for work – with less than a third (29%) of employers offering work experience placements, compared to 46% in Cheshire and London.
Hull employers are not alone, however, as the report reveals that nationally one in five employers say that nothing could persuade them to offer work experience, despite the fact that 66% of businesses say experience is critical when recruiting new staff.
It comes as government figures show that around 40% of the UK’s 1.9 million unemployed people are aged under 25, and that in contrast to other age groups, unemployment for the youngest workers is remaining stubbornly high.
Full details and the complete report will be published tomorrow.
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