Joining Ed Balls and George Osborne on their Young People Special Podcast our CEO, Nick Chambers, highlighted the recent OECD research which showed the massive mismatch between the careers young people aspire to, and jobs in the UK – especially in growth sectors.
It revealed that their aspirations have actually narrowed over the last 20 years, with 50% now considering just 10, mainly traditional roles, like doctor or lawyer. The findings help explain why we have nearly 1 million young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), yet at the same time employers are struggling to find people – often having to recruit from overseas.
Nick asked Ed and George what responsibility they thought the government should have in ensuring young people fully understand the opportunities open to them and that we have the future workforce we need for economic growth.
Ed and George reflected on:
- The importance of raising and widening aspirations by showing young people careers they wouldn’t otherwise encounter.
- How family income and personal networks still play a huge role in shaping opportunities.
- The pivotal role that charities can play and how the government can future-proof the UK’s careers advice
With government and employers debating how to close skills gaps, the discussion underlined that charities like Inspiring the Future can connect schools and the world of work in ways that are more flexible and creative than a state-run service. But to reach every young person, this work needs sustainable funding and support.
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