As youth unemployment nears one million is it time for government intervention?
October 14, 2011 Leave a Comment
The latest unemployment figures make unpleasant reading – a rise of 74,000 between June and August. Included in the figures are almost one million young people, aged 16-24, currently out of work.
Graduates are not exempt from the dole queue. To complete your degree and then find it impossible to kick-start your career is frustrating to start with and then the frustration turns into depression as time marches on.
It’s not the graduates’ fault. Whenever the economy dips, jobs become more scarce and competitive and those trying to break into the world of work are at a disadvantage. They lack the experience and contacts of people already in work and the longer the economy struggles to recover, the less people in work are prepared or able to move on.
The country faced similar challenges in the 80’s and 90’s. Fortunately when we did eventually come out of recession, the jobs market grew and sucked in many of those who had not been able to get on to the career ladder. Of course, there were long-term casualties. Some people who lost the confidence to apply for jobs; others adapted to alternative life styles. I’m not comfortable with the phrase ‘lost generation’ but I do recognise the dangers that fewer jobs and growing unemployment levels can bring to individuals and communities.
The shame is that real talent is going to waste. None of us, least of all employers, should assume that those who graduates in 2011 and have yet to find work are lazy, lacking in talent or both! Gaps on CVs and application forms might quite easily be explained if only recruiters were prepared to listen.
In the run up to the 2010 general election, AGR launched an election manifesto. In it we called for the government to introduce tax breaks to incentivise businesses, especially SMEs, to recruit graduates. At the time the media focused on other elements of the manifesto such as our take on tuition fees. In the past few days however it is a call that others have taken up. Let us hope that the powers that be take notice.
On an entirely different tack, I have just finished reading the draft of a report based on research into ‘Global Graduates for Global Leaders’ which AGR is funding along with CIHE and CFE (the research partner). It makes for fascinating reading and I am sure that when the report is signed off and circulated to all AGR members they will agree.
Which reminds me – together with other graduate recruiter associations across the globe, AGR is planning a conference for those employers who operate global recruitment and development programmes. The event will take place in London on 3rd and 4th May 2012. The venue is about to be confirmed and a small international advisory group is being set up to set the agenda for the two days. It’s the second such event (the first was inDallas last May and attracted more than 100 delegates). Details of the event will be launched shortly so watch this space. If you have ideas of topics you would like to see covered then let me know. Equally, if you feel your business might have something to contribute to the event, I’d be delighted to hear from you. (carl@agr.org.uk ).
