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Workforce participation- young people

Journalist: Dominic Bernard

ended 13. March 2023

We're writing a story for HR magazine on lower workforce participation among younger people - which has gone widely unreported.

 

New research shows that almost one million young people have been lost from the labour market over the last 30 years, highlighting the need for the Government to take steps to boost participation across all age groups. An extra 913,000 people would be in the workforce today, if young people had the same employment rate as 30 years ago. 

While more young people are studying full-time, fewer are taking up any kind of work while studying, including apprenticeship starts.

Nearly 400,000 more 16-24-year-olds would have benefited from an apprenticeship over the last six years, if the numbers going to young people had continued at least the same level as when the Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in April 2017

 

We're looking to quote some commentary on these findings - especially thinking about why the debate has been so focussed on older workers – is it because they’re typically more skilled and experienced, or because they are the ones that have dropped out of the workforce suddenly, I wonder.

 

2 responses from the Newspage community

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Debbie Denyer
Executive Coach, Facilitator & Neurodiversity Trainer at Coach the Difference Ltd
During the pandemic the media was full of stories of the impact of job loss on young people, as the hospitality sector — usually a source of student work — was hit hard. Government initiatives such as the Kickstart scheme were introduced and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Young people hadn't been forgotten. The media concern shifted to older workers. The data shows that we still need to worry. Rather than study and work, students are now resigned to the prospect of finishing education with staggering debt. There seems little point in trying to fight the inevitable. The cost of living turns buying a house into a distant dream. We need to help young people find another motivation to work whilst studying and help them recognise the benefits it brings to them and the workforce.
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John Lamerton
Small Business Author at Big Ideas... for Small Businesses
Enticing the over-50's back into work results in an immediate ROI in terms of increased tax take, while encouraging youngsters to join the workforce is an investment in the future. There's no incentive for short-term thinkers such as politicians who are unable to consider life beyond the next election.