Government should opt for apprenticeship guarantee in light of rising economic inactivity among young people, says the CIPD

Responding to today’s Keep Britain Working Review Discovery Phase report, Ben Willmott, head of public policy for the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, comments:

“Today’s report shows we need more ambition from the Government to tackle health-related inactivity and create more opportunities for young people to be supported into sustainable employment. The Youth Guarantee is a positive step but not sufficient to tackle the collapse in apprenticeship provision for young people in recent years and the lack of effective employment support to underpin pathways into work. Our research shows there is strong employer backing for a broader Apprenticeship Guarantee which would provide a guaranteed apprenticeship place for young people aged 16-24. Better training and employment opportunities for young people will also support efforts to improve their mental health and wellbeing.

“The Government must provide strong backing to the Keep Britain Working review and be prepared to invest, for example, to improve the provision of occupational health support to SMEs to keep people healthy and in work. Improving health at work and retention are also likely to require an increased focus by the Health and Safety Executive on tackling work-related stress, which is linked to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, as well as increased risk of heart disease. The economic benefit of focusing on prevention and tackling sickness absence to reduce ill-health related economic inactivity is huge.

“It’s also important that the Government continues to consult with employers as details on some of the key measures in the Employment Rights Bill are finalised, to ensure they don’t have the effect of deterring employers from hiring candidates with health conditions or more development needs.”