Responding to the latest ONS figures on young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training), Stephen Evans, chief executive at Learning and Work Institute, said:
The number of young people not in education, employment or training is estimated to be at its highest level in a decade. The number of NEETs has risen by 150,000 since the pandemic, a 20% rise. Problems with the Labour Force Survey mean we should be cautious in interpreting the data, but it is clear too many young people are not in work or education. We urgently need to tackle this to prevent long-term damage to young people’s career prospects. The Government’s upcoming Youth Guarantee needs to include a step change in apprenticeships, education and help to find work.
These numbers also mask substantial inequalities within construction. Women account for only 10 per cent of starts in construction apprenticeships so far this year, compared to 51 per cent of apprenticeships overall. In addition, this year only 9 per cent of construction starts are by individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds, with particularly big disparities for apprentices from black or Asian backgrounds.
The following years therefore present a unique opportunity to not only further boost apprenticeship numbers in the construction sector, but to expand their reach to wider groups. The new Government should work with employers and providers to seize this.
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