Helping young people connect to the world of work
The pandemic has hit young people the hardest in terms of unemployment and economic inactivity, with UK youth employment rates at a near-record low of 53%. At the same time, job vacancies are now increasing rapidly, with employers having to compete harder to fill roles.
It’s vital that we bridge this gap by helping young people find meaningful work and helping employers find new talent pipelines.
Let’s help young people get their foot in the door. Let’s give them a chance.
We need Enterprise Advisers to volunteer their expertise and work with schools and colleges to help them develop a strong careers programme. Find out more.
With escalating numbers of job vacancies and increased competition for candidates, employers can fill these roles by recruiting young people who have traditionally been overlooked. Recruiters and hiring managers need to offer equal access to employment to all members of society and could benefit from attracting young talent from diverse groups.
In partnership with Youth Futures Foundation, we give evidence-based recommendations on how to reach, attract and recruit young people from marginalised backgrounds.
Practical advice on targeting young people from under-represented backgrounds and using accurate and fair selection tools in your recruitment process
Mona Abou Hana, Chief People Officer for EMEA and the Middle East, PwC Middle East, explains how PwC is committed to hiring over 500 new graduates from diverse backgrounds each year.
In a challenging labour market, many organisations are looking to internships as a way to gain new and motivated members of staff, who bring new skills and perspectives to their business. In addition, these programmes provide young people with a meaningful experience that enhances their employability, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated rising graduate unemployment.
Our guide offers best practice recommendations on how to run a successful internship programme, as well as contributing to the intern’s professional development.
Guide
Guidance for employers on starting or improving an internship programme, including a checklist and model agreement
Preparing young people for the world of work is not only critical to the UK’s economic future but will benefit organisations by building talent pipelines and improving workforce diversity. However, our 2021 report on youth employment showed that only one-fifth of those surveyed thought they received high quality careers advice at school or college.
We give guidance on how to collaborate with local schools and colleges to ensure young people understand and are equipped with the skills that businesses need.
Insight into the needs of young people, both in education and as they start out in their careers
Employers recognise the value that young people bring to their organisations, yet those who want to support them often face a confusing landscape of government initiatives, bodies and programmes which can act as a barrier to engagement.
Our guide, authored by Strategic Development Network (SDN), outlines the major youth employment programmes available to help support organisations making decisions about the employment, work experience and training initiatives that they can offer.
Guide on apprenticeships, T Levels, traineeships and the Kickstart Scheme. Checklist and FAQs on practical steps to engage in employment programmes.
Apprenticeships are qualifications for anyone aged 16 or older who’s employed and isn’t in full-time education. This includes current staff members as well as new recruits. Apprenticeships cover all industry sectors and thousands of job roles.
Related resources include:
T Levels are a new type of technical qualification for students aged 16-19. They are developed with employers to meet industry needs and prepare students for employment and higher levels of training. The first T Levels started in 2020 and 23 T Level routes covering all main industry sectors will be available by 2023.
An intern will usually be an undergraduate or graduate seeking work experience as a means of getting onto the ladder of work. Students in sixth form colleges, further education colleges or other tertiary education would also be included.
Work experience is an opportunity to introduce young people at school or college to the world of work and give them first-hand experience of the workplace, insight into how their skills relate to it and increased confidence and employability. Work experience placements are unpaid and give employers access to a wide range of talent and fresh ideas, as well as engagement with the local community.
Kickstart provides job placements for 16-24-year-olds who don't have a job currently. These job placements must start before the end of March 2022 for employers who have already applied to the scheme.
"At Tesco, we've committed to help over 45,00 young people jumpstart their careers this year, and build employability skills as they grapple with the disruption COVID-19 has caused. We have diverse and interesting opportunities available across out business like the Kickstart scheme, apprenticeships, graduate programmes and internships for young people, whoever they are and whatever their background."
An assessment of the effectiveness of Government initiatives to support young people to access apprenticeships, traineeship and work placements
Rachel Suff, Senior Policy Adviser at the CIPD, uses recent data from the CIPD’s Health and wellbeing at work survey report, supported by Simplyhealth to offer recommendations for organisations and UK Government policy-makers to help reduce record-high employee absence
Jake Young, CIPD Senior Policy and Practice Adviser for Employee Experience, OD & L&D, examines the impact of employee engagement on key business outcomes and what employers can do to drive more positive engagement
Explore the insights and top tips for activating an authentic employer brand to better attract, engage and retain talent effectively
Claire McCartney, Policy and Practice Manager at the CIPD, invites Brigitte Kroon, Associate Professor for Human Resources at Tilburg University, to share her thoughts on the importance of evidence-based human resource management (HRM) practices and solutions which are contextually appropriate