The Briefing Room – Why is youth unemployment in the UK so high?

It has been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the job market is still struggling to recover. One group that is particularly vulnerable during these tough times is young people between the ages of 16 to 24. According to recent statistics, almost a million young individuals in this age group are not in employment, education, or training, making up 12.8% of the total population in this age bracket. This group of young people is commonly referred to as NEETS.

The reasons behind why these young individuals find themselves in this situation are complex and multi-faceted. David Aaronovitch and a panel of experts recently discussed this issue on a podcast. The guests included Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed Hiring Lab, Lindsay Judge, Research Director at The Resolution Foundation, Xiaowei Xu, Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and John Burn-Murdoch, Chief Data Reporter at The Financial Times.

During the podcast, the panel delved into various factors that may contribute to the high number of NEETS in the current job market. They explored whether the state of the economy, the young individuals’ own ability to work, or the fear of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are playing a role in this trend.

The discussion shed light on the challenges faced by young people in finding employment, especially recent graduates who are struggling to secure stable jobs. The panelists also highlighted the importance of addressing these issues and providing support to help young individuals transition into the workforce successfully.

The podcast was hosted by David Aaronovitch and produced by Caroline Bayley, Nathan Gower, and Kirsteen Knight. Maria Ogundele served as the Production Co-ordinator, James Beard as the Sound Engineer, and Richard Vadon as the Editor.

To listen to the full podcast and learn more about the insights shared by the panelists, visit the programme website. The podcast offers valuable information and perspectives on the current state of the job market for young individuals and the challenges they face in securing employment opportunities.

Overall, the discussion highlighted the need for ongoing support and initiatives to help young people navigate the job market successfully and overcome the barriers they face in finding meaningful employment opportunities.