Labour has today pledged to turbocharge careers advice and work
experience in schools as part of its plans to usher in a
revolution in work readiness and drive opportunity for young
people.
As part of the Party's plans to partner with businesses across
the country, Labour will deliver a new commitment to two-weeks
worth of quality work experience for every young person, and
recruit over 1,000 new careers advisors, building partnerships
between schools, colleges and local employers to equip young
people with work-ready skills.
The news comes as the party released analysis suggesting that one
million children are at risk of receiving inadequate
information about the jobs and opportunities available to
them over the next five years if the Conservatives remain in
power.
As it stands, more than 1-in-3 children at secondary school
report that they do not know enough about good jobs available to
them as they get older and leave school. If this figure persists
over the next five years, nearly 1.2 million children will
receive inadequate information, further compounding skills
shortages in key sectors, and leaving hundreds of thousands
of young people classed as Not in Employment, Education or
Training (NEET).
Since 2018, the annual number of 16-18 year olds classed as NEET
has increased by 50,000, with 167,000 not in work, education or
training. This has been primarily driven by a rapid rise in the
number of 18 year olds out of work, education or training, with
the proportion increasing by around a third. Professional
advice and guidance for young people is essential to
tackling this. Research shows that - amongst young people in the
most disadvantaged schools - high-quality careers advice could
increase chances of young people progressing in education
employment or training by a third.
Last year, a scathing report by the House of Lords Communications
and Digital Committee found that careers guidance at school on
the creative sector was "patchy and disjointed", potentially
putting at risk an industry worth around £126 billion to the UK
economy.
Labour's commitment to careers advice and work experience is part
of the Party's wider plan to establish a ‘Youth Guarantee' of
access to training, an apprenticeship, or support to find work
for all 18-21 year olds.
, Shadow Education
Secretary, said:
“Over one million young people are set to benefit from Labour
ushering in a revolution in in work readiness with our plan to
work with local employers to turbocharge work experience and
careers advice in schools.
“We will train a thousand new careers advisors, and deliver two
weeks' worth of high-quality work experience for every young
person at secondary school to boost opportunity
“It's time to turn the page on fourteen years of failure in
education – but change will only come if people vote for it –
that's why if families want to break down barriers to opportunity
for their children they need to vote Labour on July 4th.
Ends
Notes
-
Proportion of job vacancies down to skill
shortages
-
Sector
2019
2022
Arts & Other Services
5%
10%
Business Services
5%
9%
Construction
4%
8%
Education
8%
19%
Financial Services
5%
7%
Health & Social Work
9%
15%
Hotels & Restaurants
7%
11%
Information & Communications
5%
10%
Manufacturing
8%
12%
Primary Sector & Utilities
3%
5%
Public admin.
8%
13%
Transport & Storage
6%
10%
Wholesale & Retail
5%
8%
Total
6%
10%
- Participation Headlines for NEET 16-18, England
-
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
16-18
Number
112,736
120,619
134,264
137,617
167,365
Percent
6.20%
6.60%
7.10%
7.00%
8.40%
18
Number
72,576
71,050
78,614
63,220
107,163
Percent
11.40%
11.40%
12.60%
9.70%
15.90%
