David Willetts

New official figures published today reveal that the number of 18-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) has risen to another record high, with more than one in six young people now ‘NEET’.

Shadow Universities and Skills Secretary, David Willetts said:

“It is very worrying that there is now a record number of 18-24 year old NEETs. More than one in six young people are now without a job or a place in education or training.

“Ministers have comprehensively failed to get a grip on this crisis. Young people don’t need more empty promises or celebrity gimmicks. They need more apprenticeship opportunities, more postgraduate places and better careers advice.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Figures released today by the Department for Children, Schools and Families reveal that the number of 18-24 year-olds not in education, employment or training has risen to a record high of 835,000; up from 730,000 in the same quarter last year. 17.6% of 18-24s are now neither earning nor learning.

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000870/NEETQuarterlyBriefQ22009.pdf

2. The Conservatives have proposed establishing a £100 million NEETs’ fund to target special help for school-leavers who do not go on to education, training or employment. Under a Conservative Government, the current ‘Train to Gain’ scheme would be refocused to create 100,000 new apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship places. By redirecting funds currently spent on administration and inadequate careers advice, we would fund a careers adviser in every secondary school and college. A new £100 million service would provide community-based careers advice for people of all ages, while a £5 million web-based skills matching service would help young people find information on jobs, training and apprenticeships.