• With youth employment still falling – business leaders call for more CEOs to create work experience opportunities and break cycle of ‘no job, no experience’
• New research into employment and the youth labour market explores why businesses do or do not engage in youth employability schemes
• There are concerns about how the end of furlough will further impact U.K. young people and their career prospects.

London, Thursday 21st October 2021: Disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, young people are still struggling to secure meaningful employment and are set to bear the associated long-term consequences, including lower wages, inferior prospects, and poorer mental health. Large Employers and the Youth Labour Market research*— a new report commissioned by charities Movement to Work (MtW) and Youth Futures Foundation, and co-sponsored by Accenture and Sage— reveals the economic and social benefits that can be achieved when UK employers support youth employment programmes.

Compiled by IFF, the report shows that by engaging in youth employment programmes, employers can help break the vicious ‘no job – no experience’ cycle in which many young people facing disadvantage experience. Alongside the economic and societal benefits, including better job prospects for young people who lack connections, the research shows that there are key business benefits for businesses looking to engage. Employer-led youth employability schemes are a great way to strengthen talent pipelines, harness diverse ideas and skills, and futureproof businesses. 

Alongside a snapshot of the corporate youth employability landscape, the research offers advice on how businesses have succeeded in setting up programmes, such as C-suite support for such schemes being a key driver for success. Leaders from major businesses including Accenture, Sage, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, BT, BAE Systems, Barclays, Unilever, Salesforce, and Diageo have joined Movement to Work’s network of employers committed to helping young people overcome barriers to work. Movement to Work, a charity offering free support to employers to set up such programmes, has helped deliver 125,000 work placements to date and is looking for more business leaders to get involved. 

The number of young people (aged 16-24) in employment remains below that of pre-pandemic levels, with those in employment falling by 243,000 (6%), and 162,000 more becoming economically inactive, an increase of 6%.**  Following the end of furlough in September 2021, there are concerns about how this will further impact U.K. young people and their career prospects. The Kickstart scheme – created in response to the pandemic which subsidises job placements for young people on Universal Credit – was due to end in December but has this month been extended by three months to March 2022.

Sam Olsen, CEO, Movement to Work said: “This research has proven what we already knew. The moral case for helping young people is really clear, but the business case is stronger with each day – setting up work experience programmes generates a fantastic diverse talent pipeline for an organisation, and there are lots of government-backed schemes like Apprenticeships and Kickstart to help make it cost effective. We understand times are tough, so Movement to Work can help you figure it out and have a really positive impact in the community as a result.”

Simon Eaves, UK & Ireland CEO, Accenture said: “As the UK is at a crucial stage of its post-pandemic journey, there has never been a more important time to tackle youth unemployment. Empowering young people with right opportunities to thrive in their future careers with essential digital skills, mentorship and experience is not just the right thing to do, it will help the country’s recovery. Businesses who invest in our diverse talent across the UK will reap the rewards by building a more inclusive and open culture which in turn creates business value.”

Helen Devanny, Vice President, Sage Foundation said “Diversity of thought is an absolute must for innovative businesses and that is exactly what young people can offer. We have been able to support many young people to knock down the barriers to their first job, helping them gain valuable life and work skills and setting them up for successful careers at Sage and beyond. This year we’re proud to have taken on 36 Apprentices in areas as diverse as Customer Service, Marketing, Sales and Cloud Engineering. Through Sage Foundation we’ve also opened our doors to young people in our home region of the North East via work experience opportunities, offering them valuable insights, guidance and experience in the world of work.” 

Anna Smee, CEO, Youth Futures Foundation said: “Job vacancies are at an all-time high. Our research shows businesses have recruitment concerns about young people, due to their perceived lack of work readiness and the cost of staff resource to help young people learn on the job. Yet, long-term youth unemployment is at an unacceptably high level. We are experiencing a significant skills mismatch that needs to be addressed. The talent pipeline must flow for businesses to operate effectively, and young people should get the support they need to succeed at work and benefit from the economic bounce back. That’s why we’re committing £18.7m to improve the youth employment system.”

• To read the ‘Large Employers and the Youth Labour Market’ report in full please see here.
• To read ‘Young, Inspired and Employed’ a B2B summary of the ‘Large Employers and the Youth Labour Market’ research report please see here. 

–       ENDS   –

Notes to editors

• Movement to Work (MtW) is a not-for-profit coalition of UK employers, youth-outreach organisations, training providers and government allies – all aiming to level the playing field for young people aged 16-30 facing barriers to work. As a robust delivery partner, MtW works with employers to design bespoke youth employability programmes, either in-house or through one of their recommended training providers. With hundreds of organisational members, Movement to Work has a proven track record of driving social mobility with over 125,000 work placements delivered to date, made possible by employers, charities and Government working together. Collectively MtW has provided young people with diverse and empowering experiences ranging from hospitality to engineering, with regional hubs working in London, the Midlands, North East and North West to make a real difference nationwide.
  
  MtW’s employer members include Accenture, BAE Systems, Barclays, BT, Salesforce, Centrica, the Department for Work and Pensions, Diageo, HSBC, IBM, Marks and Spencer, Marriott International, NHS, Tesco, Unilever and Wates, amongst others.
  

For more information: https://www.movementtowork.com/

Contact: info@movementtowork.com

• Youth Futures Foundation is an independent, not-for-profit organisation established with a £90m endowment from the Reclaim Fund to improve employment outcomes for young people from marginalised backgrounds. Our aim is to narrow employment gaps by identifying what works and why, investing in evidence generation and innovation, and igniting a movement for change.
  
  For media enquiries please contact: Helen.knox@youthfuturesfoundation.org
• Sage is the global market leader for technology that provides small and medium businesses with the visibility, flexibility and efficiency to manage finances, operations and people. With our partners, Sage is trusted by millions of customers worldwide to deliver the best cloud technology and support. Our years of experience mean that our colleagues and partners understand how to serve our customers and communities through the good, and more challenging times. We are here to help, with practical advice, solutions, expertise and insight.
  
  For more information https://www.sage.com/
  Media Inquiries please contact: Sage-LON@finsbury.com

• IFF Research is a full-service research agency which delivers insightful, strategic research to the private and public sector. Established in 1965, they specialise in supporting clients across seven key sectors: Learning & Skills, Higher Education, Regulation, Business & Enterprise, Work, Welfare & Wellbeing, Financial Services and Housing. They offer a wide range of research services, incorporating quantitative and qualitative research, including a large telephone interviewing team of around 1,000 interviewers.

* Findings are based on analysis of the largest UK data source on employer engagement in youth employability activities, The Employer Skills Survey 2019 and qualitative interviews with 47 major UK employers.

 

** Youth Unemployment Statistics, House of Commons Library, 14th September 2021.

 

 

 

Employability and life skills charity, Working Options in Education is running its second free virtual Masterclass for 14-19 year-olds on October 21^st at 12.15. Free for young people anywhere in the UK to join, they’re partnering with global tech company Accenture. Their first Masterclass with ITV saw over 3,000 young people join in.

The aim of the Working Options Masterclass series is to provide young people with breadth and depth about a sector and organisation and is invaluable for helping them to make better, more informed choices about their next steps and how to go about it. For companies, this is an opportunity to showcase their organisation and talk directly to a young, diverse potential talent pool about early career roles or apprenticeships.

The Masterclass series has been developed as part of Working Options Career Pathways Programme, building on over 10 years’ experience and listening to the needs of business and students.

If your company would like to speak to Working Options about hosting a Masterclass for a minimum donation, or you’re interested in volunteering for our Insights from Industry or employability skills workshops please get in touch with Claire.mcmaster@workingoptions.org.uk

Young people can book their free place at the Accenture Masterclass at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/accenture-masterclass-tickets-175435390977

www.workingoptions.org.uk

As more businesses develop their post-pandemic recovery, employers looking to recruit will find an ever-expanding pool of candidates applying for their jobs. With estimates of 2.2million people out of work at the end of the year, businesses face the daunting task of finding the best candidates from a small mountain of job applications.

Young people have borne the brunt of the Covid-19 job losses with more than half of the fall in the number of employees coming from among the under-25s. Fortunately, employment expert Ingeus can smooth the process for job seekers and employers alike, with its fully-funded recruitment services.

Pandemic recruitment support

Ingeus is an established employment services provider, already helping many of those hit by the pandemic through its delivery of the Government’s Work and Health Programme and Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) programme.

And from June 2021 it will be a partner in Restart: giving Universal Credit claimants who have been out of work for at least 12 months enhanced support to find jobs. Almost £3 billion has been allocated to the Government’s three-year scheme, and Ingeus has been chosen to deliver the scheme to more than 260,000 people in Greater Manchester and Central & West London.

As well as helping businesses identify a diverse selection of work-ready candidates, each individually supported and briefed by an Ingeus employment coach, Ingeus will identify local skills gaps and growth sectors, supplying work-ready recruits where companies need them most.

Ingeus is also part of the Prime Provider Partnership, offering employers – wherever they’re based across the UK – access to free employability support from sector experts.

Finding the right people

Ingeus prides itself on finding the right people for vacancies by getting to know businesses and their recruitment needs. It identifies the transferable skills, interests and career goals of potential recruits to ensure they are job-ready and eager to work.

Working with organisations from multinationals to local community enterprises, its services save employers the time of sifting through CVs, handling benefits and right to work paperwork, and ensuring any potential barriers to employment are broken down.

Further help for employers

Ingeus supports employers in areas as well as recruitment, with a range of free services.

Its Able Futures service gives companies across the UK no-cost advice on how to help employees cope with mental health issues. It includes a toolkit to help manage mental health at work and a free confidential support service for anyone in work. Ingeus is also a Government-recognised Disability Confident Leader, helping employers recognise and embrace the talents disabled people can contribute to the workplace.

Key links

• Recruitment services: https://ingeus.com/uk/work-with-us/employer-services
• Prime Provider Partnership: Home – Connected Community Recruitment Support (dwppartners.co.uk)
• Able Futures: https://able-futures.co.uk/mental-health-support-for-employers
• Disability Confident: https://ingeus.com/uk/work-for-us/diversity-and-inclusion/disability-confident

Key contacts

Recruiting employers interested in Ingeus’s services should contact: Employerservices@ingeus.co.uk

Employability and life skills charity, Working Options in Education is launching its virtual Masterclass series for 14-19 year olds on 10 June. Free for young people anywhere in the UK to join, the first Masterclass is in partnership with ITV and expects to see thousands of students dial in.

The aim of the Masterclass series is to provide young people with breadth and depth about a sector and organisation and is invaluable for helping them to make better, more informed choices about their next steps and how to go about it. For companies, this is an opportunity to showcase their organisation and talk directly to a young, diverse potential talent pool about early career roles or apprenticeships.  We can target regionally or nationally.

Robbie Morton, Senior Resourcing Manager at ITV says:

“Here at ITV, We’re embracing differences, making new things happen and delivering creativity. The world is changing – and we’re driving that change. We’re More than TV. We are delighted to be able to collaborate with Working Options in providing young people the opportunity to hear about the different opportunities available to them in the world of working for ITV. There is no better time than now to help support the futures of our young people.”

The one-hour virtual Masterclass allows companies to provide students with a deep dive into their sector, the career opportunities available in their industry and organisation, outline the qualifications needed and the skills, attributes and qualities they look for in recruits. Speakers will always include at least one employee who was recruited at entry-level into the organisation and the sessions feature an interactive Q&A session via the chat function with a call to action to live roles about to be advertised e.g. launching the recruitment for an apprenticeship programme.

The Masterclass series has been developed as part of Working Options Career Pathways Programme, building on over 10 years’ experience and listening to the needs of business and students.

To book your free place on the ITV/Working Options Masterclass for 14-19 year olds click here

If your company would like to speak to Working Options about hosting a Masterclass for a minimum donation, please get in touch with Claire.mcmaster@workingoptions.org.uk

www.workingoptions.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 Download the campaign flyer, share in your networks and donate your spare tech HERE

In response to the hardships faced through digital poverty, Barnardo’s, in partnership with Vodafone, have been successfully delivering the Great British Tech Appeal over recent months.

Earlier this year, discussions held at Movement to Work’s 2021 CEO Summit made clear that issues related to digital poverty and digital inclusion needed to be addressed. To date, the Great British Tech Appeal campaign has largely focussed on the support of younger children and home-schooling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, Movement to Work is proud to support the Great British Tech Appeal, and help extend the reach in order to specifically support young people hoping to enter the world of work but who are lacking in the right tech to help them get there.

Digital access: the reality

Whether a young person is in a virtual classroom or applying for their first job, not having digital access holds them back.

If that young person is in a low-income household, it’s even harder. According to analysis of the Ofcom Media Use report and Lloyd Consumer Digital Index:

• 7 million people did not have home internet access in 2019
• 1 in 5 adults who are offline said cost was a barrier for them
• 23% of children in low-income households don’t have access to broadband or a laptop/tablet.

The reality is that many young people are living in poverty and can’t afford broadband. Some young people have to choose between data and dinner. This is not a choice a young person should ever have to make.

How you can help

Do you have laptops, tablets or smartphones that can contribute to the appeal? For every device sent in, Vodafone will supply 6 months of free, unlimited data. Barnardo’s, working with information provided by Movement to Work, will ensure that every single device will be gifted onwards to a young person in some of the worst affected areas in the country, but already engaged in their Education, Training and Skills (ETS) scheme and striving to secure a job.

As we begin to get back to life post-pandemic, we must emerge stronger, both by embracing the benefits that living in a digital world brings but also recognising the barriers that technology can place in the path of certain young people looking to find their way into sustainable employment. 

  Full details of how you can support and donate to the appeal can be found in the flyer HERE

Please download the campaign flyer, share in your networks and donate your spare tech as soon as you can.

Thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to celebrating the successes that your generosity will enable.

Simon Beckman

Movement to Work North West Lead

 

A new report from Learning and Work Institute and The Prince’s Trust (supported by HSBC UK) has raised significant concerns about the long lasting impact of the pandemic on youth unemployment.

Despite considering employment (unemployment) as a whole, The major study, supported by HSBC UK, shows how, while some areas of the economy might begin on the road to recovery, young workers are under-represented in these sectors, and the industries that typically employ young people will be hardest hit in the long term.

New economic forecasting reveals that, while young people’s employment has been worst affected by the pandemic with under 25s accounting for three in five jobs lost, youth unemployment is due to climb further still, even as the economy recovers.

The report also has the following headlines:

•  The economic cost of youth unemployment, in terms of lost national output, is forecast to rise to £6.9 billion in 2022
•  The fiscal cost of youth unemployment, in the form of lower tax revenue and higher benefit spending, is forecast to be £2.9 billion in 2022
•  The long-running scarring cost to young people entering the labour market in 2021, in terms of lost earnings and damage to employment prospects, is forecast to be £14.4 billion over the next seven years

To see the full report and additional commentary from the Learning and Work Institute, click here.

 

Are you looking to continue your learning after full-time education? Not sure if college or university is for you? Or looking to make a career change? Coming back to work but with a flexible schedule? Would you like to be able to ‘Earn whilst you Learn’?

Then Skys Home Service apprenticeship could be great for you. All apprentices learn new skills & a trade, whilst studying for a recognised qualification.

As part of a supercharged Home Service Team you will work in customers’ homes and businesses across the UK. You will install, service and demonstrate TV and broadband products. And once the technical work is done, you’ll be excited to showcase what’s possible in a fun and inspirational way ensuring customers receive an amazing experience every time.

Tech experience really isn’t essential in this job. Sky are looking for self-starters with a resilient, can-do attitude and bags of character.  They are more interested in your brilliant listening skills, how well you interact with people and your ability to collaborate and support your team.

The programme offers roles across the UK and, no matter where you join, you’ll get seven weeks of both face-to-face and virtual training to learn the skills and knowledge required for the role. You’ll pick up the ropes from a mentor by shadowing them for six months of your apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship overview
• Expected start September 2021
• You will be supported through a Customer Service Qualification
• On completion of your apprenticeship, you will move into a permanent position at Sky.

More @: https://bit.ly/3sAjj51