A report out yesterday by The Commission on Youth Employment said that "radical and immediate action" is needed to address the UK’s youth unemployment emergency. All 12 North East Local Authorities are among 152 LAs in England, Scotland and Wales where over one in eight 16-24 year olds claim job seekers allowance. The Commission’s Chair, David Miliband MP said that in his South Shields constituency unemployment has risen by 200% in the past year.
The Commission supports plans to introduce Destination Measures for schools and calls upon Government to give education providers stronger incentives to prepare the most disadvantaged young people for progression towards work and review the role of Ofsted in holding schools to account for the work readiness of their students.
On the issue of work experience the Commission recommends that the statutory requirement should remain. This view is backed up by a report from the Education and Employers Taskforce that looked at ways to prevent young people from dropping out. They found that the more young people come into contact with employers while they are at school, the less likely they are to go on to be unemployed.
The Youth Employment Commission’s findings coincide with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, which aims to highlight the benefits of taking on apprentices to employers and promote the opportunities apprenticeships can provide to young people. To support the expansion of apprenticeships the Commission recommends the introduction of a national application system for apprenticeships similar to the UCAS system for University places.
These reports follow last week’s announcement of major changes to vocational education in the UK. Most of the changes introduced as a result of the Wolf report are welcomed by the Commission, however an Observer Editorial on Monday states that “Mr Gove's overhaul of vocational education is necessary, although too brutal. In the two years before the streamlining takes place, he and we have time to consider what a world-class education system ought to offer.” The article then goes on to argue that a vocational element is vital to a full education, “we are often “blighted by a notion that divides academic and vocational into first- and second-class educations, while non-cognitive abilities, the ingredients that make up employability, are an "extra" instead of an integral part of learning.”
Finally, research by Barnardos released today has found that the Governments Bursary Scheme designed to replace the axed Educational Maintenance Allowance is inadequate meaning that many poor students are faced with no option but to drop out of further education. Barnardos calls for immediate improvements to the way the Bursary Fund is targeted and administered including increasing payments to £30 a week, and widening funding to all young people who have received free school meals. But a Department for Education spokesman said: "The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was wasteful and poorly targeted. Some 45% of all 16-19 year olds received it, including many private school pupils.
SCHOOLS NorthEast is working with organisations across the region to explore how we can best support our children and young people to develop the aspirations, motivations and skills needed to prosper in their future working lives. In the coming months we will be launching a series of initiatives. These include an Alumni scheme for North East schools. This will enable schools to identify and reconnect to ex pupils that can be used to inspire children and young people about the world of work and provide practical advice on careers.
Further details will be sent out to all SCHOOLS NorthEast enhanced Members but if you are interested in hearing more, would like to be part of the pilot or are already engaged in a similar scheme, please let us know by emailing think@schoolsnortheast.com.