From education to employment

Providing opportunities for young people with The Youth Group

Jackson Parsons, Chief Executive Officer, The Youth Group

@JacksonRParsons and  @TheYouthGroupHQ –  World Youth Skills Day (15th July) comes as youth unemployment is soaring due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the UK, the two industries hardest hit by the pandemic – accommodation & food services and arts, entertainment & recreation – have the highest proportion of young workers. According to the TUC young workers (those aged 25 and under) are three times more likely than workers over 25 to be employed in an industry at higher risk of unemployment.[1]

The unemployment crisis is coupled with an education one, as students miss months of time in school. Nationwide closures of schools during the pandemic have affected over 60% of the world’s student population.[2] 

In the UK, the students who are leaving education this year are entering the employment market just as the country is entering its deepest recession. The impact on the younger generation could be devastating, which is why the Chancellor announced plans to encourage employers to keep on furloughed staff and create more opportunities through apprenticeships.

Working with the Youth Group to ensure no young person in left behind

Capita wants to be part of the solution to youth unemployment. That’s why are working with The Youth Group to find solutions that help young people to overcome challenges getting into work; whether they stem from social and economic disadvantage, mental health or other barriers that block them from accessing employment opportunities.

We are committed to developing a programme at Capita that ensures we are:

  1. Offering growth opportunities for young people
  2. Providing more apprenticeships and work experience placements
  3. Recognising and rewarding talent
  4. Listening to young people

We want to instil confidence in young people and give them the support and advice they need to thrive in the workplace.

Jack Parsons, CEO from the Youth Group says: “We need big employers like Capita to help get young people work ready and do what they can to recruit, retain and train them to give them the skills they need. The Covid-19 pandemic has compounded the challenges that young people already face when finding work opportunities. So, we need more employers to recognise those challenges and do what they can to ensure no young person is left behind.”

To understand more about the challenges that young people face entering employment, read our full interview with Jack Parsons.

 

[1] https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/young-workers-are-most-risk-job-losses-due-coronavirus-crisis (12th June2020)

[2] https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse


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