For the path less trodden: Fledglink app provides A level students not going to uni with an ‘alternative to clearing’

With A level results day 2020 around the corner, early careers disruptor @Fledglinkapp is aiming to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on youth employment by providing those not going to university or choosing to defer with an ‘alternative to clearing’. On Thursday 13th August, the Fledglink app, website and social media channels will be opening doors to learning resources, job opportunities and apprenticeships so that school-leavers are empowered to take their first steps confidently onto a career path that suits them.

According to the Resolution Foundation, just over 1 million 18-24-year-olds are expected to be unemployed this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic fallout. To put that into perspective, that is an additional 640,000 young people NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). In addition, the employment chances of non-graduates have been reduced by more than a third, making them the biggest group of youths to struggle with finding employment in 2020.

This year’s A level results day will be a defining moment in many young people’s lives. The cancellation of exams has only exacerbated the uncertainty many students are facing, so what are their options if things don’t go as planned? For those set on university this year, the well-trodden path of clearing is well signposted. But those who decide to defer because of the impact of COVID-19 on the university experience or make the decision that further education isn’t for them are facing uncertain employment prospects. 

Fledglink is working with employers to make a difference to these statistics and offer young people an alternative path. With support from the Careers and Enterprise Company, Fledglink are providing an ‘alternative to clearing’ for school-leavers not going to university this September 2020. On Thursday 13th August, the Fledglink app, website and social media channels will be displaying entry-level jobs, work placements, apprenticeships, and learning opportunities so that no school leaver ends the day without a clear picture of what their options and next steps are. Whether that’s getting clarity on what their next step might be, submitting an application, securing a job or work experience, students will be equipped to take their future into their own hands.

Studies show that if a young person has 4 or more interactions with an employer, they are 86% less likely to become NEET. So, whether they have vacancies or not, Fledglink is giving employers the opportunity to support school leavers. Fledglink is calling all employers to pledge at least one week’s work experience opportunity for a school leaver. By doing this, employers have the opportunity to make a real difference to young people’s prospects and change the bleak statistics non-graduates are facing.