The Prime Minister has announced a radical, a much needed, ‘Opportunity Guarantee’ , to give every young person an apprenticeship or an in-work placement to help them get jobs.
Tony Wilson, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies said:
“Over half a million young people are already claiming unemployment related benefits, with a further three quarters of a million on furlough. So while a future building revolution may be necessary, it’s not going to be sufficient to meet the scale of the jobs crisis that we are facing this summer. The government’s proposed ‘Opportunity Guarantee’ could be a large part of the answer but it needs to meet two key tests: first that it guarantees that everyone who wants help to find work or training gets access to high quality careers and employment support; and secondly that it guarantees that no young person should reach long-term unemployment without having had the offer of a good quality job, education or training place. Access to apprenticeships and work placements should be part of that offer, but can’t be all of it.”