Can we talk about NEETs?

[MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack]

Sorry if there's a thread already and I've missed it. But I want to talk about NEETs.

Apparently, we are potentially going to have 1.25million young people not in employment, education or training by the early 2030s. This is quite an alarming number, and it feels like we're failing an entire generation - both the NEETs themselves, who don't seem to have very much going on in their lives that might give them a sense of satisfaction or achievement, but also their working peers who will presumably end up having to support them via the tax system.

I really don't want this to be a thread with lots of judgement or criticism of these young people - it seems to me that we must have failed them somehow as a society. I also want to steer clear of party politics if we can. But I really want to understand why we have so many young people in this position right now.

Does anyone have a child in this situation who would be willing to share why they find themselves in this position? What are the barriers to them studying or getting at least a part time job? Are they happy with how things are right now? Are they trying to change their situation? What do they actually do all day? Are they surrounded by friends who are in the same position? What do they do about money? And what do you feel about the whole situation as a parent?

If anyone is willing to share, I really hope we can avoid a pile-on in which the young people and/or their parents are subjected to a character assassination. I would like an honest and frank exchange of views and experiences because I do genuinely want to understand the root causes of this issue, but if it descends into blame and fingerpointing, then the whole conversation will get derailed.

For full disclosure, I do have a dc in the middle of the 16-24 age group, but neither she nor any of her friends fall into this category.

My DS pots plants in a propagation unit for a living, for a company with a Royal Warrant, on an apprenticeship at 27, near Guildford. The wage paid barely covers the cost of rent and living so we help out. On qualification, with all the tickets, he still won't be able to afford to live within the M25. So he'll go, and they will employ another younger version. They have to, because their margins are so tight. But it will turn out okay for both parties long term. DS is already no stranger to hard work and long unsocial hours, having worked as a chef, so he will get work because he's reliable and works hard. At some stage, he'll spot a niche and will work for himself. It isn't what he studied for at university, not even close, but two years of applying for temp jobs rather forces you into taking any available job you don't hate the sound of.

Since 2020 employers have recruited 27 non-EU nationals for every one British young person (Centre for Social Justice).

But the govt would much prefer to throw a million British young people on the scrapheap than admit that bringing large numbers of people into the country might have some negative impacts.

@5MinuteArgument
I don’t know if you saw my post earlier about my builder neighbour who is finding it almost impossible to get young men to work for him - starting as general labourers but paid a proper wage etc.
He is going to actively search out people who want to work - sadly he has concluded those will be Ukrainian, Russian, Polish men - late teens, very early 20s.

Trust me no employer of data analysts is going to give a shit re applicants working at a Hungry Horse or cutting lawns- they want people who have experience of being a data analyst. And there in lies the problem. Young people can’t get a foot in the door. One of my sons will have an engineering degree which unbelievably will be about as much use as a chocolate tea pot.

Yes, I agree this is a problem.

But there's also many young Brits struggling to get jobs, including entry level work, and not getting anywhere. It's a perfect storm.

We're going to end up with a over a million British young people permanently unemployed.

Of my 3 eldest , two have sailed through the transition from uni to work; but both worked part-time all the way through uni. One didn't go to uni and unfortunately fits several of the categories listed by @Sugarnspicenallthingsnaiceedit typo

Ah but the flaw there is in your point, where is the call for data analysts going to be - its a job tied to a computer.

Look at where AI was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, last year - the point about machine learning is that it self perpetuates, it gets better and better, and any job that involves any sort of strategising, planning, analysing is low hanging fruit for this technology to erode very quickly.

Even if it just takes portions of roles or streamlines workflows it reduces the number of people needed in the system.

Don't believe it can happen?, I originally trained as a graphic designer, in the mid 90's we were typesetting local newspapers without computers, by the late 90s the compositing was entirely computerised and all the typesetters were gone, next went the platemakers, computers initially made our job in design easier, then they made it so fast jobs were lost and hard to come by - now the computer can create the layout without mans intervention, it can be sent direct to automated presses needing only a couple of operators - assuming you want a printed version.

None of this is news, the computer companies have been set on the goal of total automation since IBM and Honeywell, the then market leaders stated that as an objective in the very early days of electronic computers after WW2.

Since 2020 the numbers of non-EU under 25s on UK payrolls increased by 290,000 compared to just 11,000 extra young UK nationals (Centre for Social Justice).

Sounds like the Milburn report is side-stepping this issue, but having over a million NEETs is a disaster for young people and for the future of our country.

Part of it - I think - was that undergrads would normally have been taken on as interns during their last year and would have been able to use that as a means to progression. That didn't happen during Covid.

DS just finishing his Masters. Has worked part time jobs, volunteered, worked as a TA and gets amazing grades. There is nothing out there for him and I worry what he will do if it's not academia (which is no longer secure). Most of his friends work minimum wage jobs in bars since graduation or in supermarket/shops. Only one has a job linked to his degree - with his dad!

This is a thing for sure. I've heard of a few bad instances. One young guy in my daughters office would go in the washroom and stay on his phone so no one else could use the toilet. He had a very boring job copying files all day, but still!

Another fellow I know who supervises apprentices working in a military context has had to fire a few for phone issues - they are not even supposed to have them in the facility.

I do sometimes wonder how many kids aren't aware that their phone use is an issue, they pull them out whenever there is a lull so aren't really being proactive at all in their work.

Nice set of stereotypes there a lot of teens are unwell. My son was so depressed he barely ate or washed and he didn't have a phone as I didn't allow them. I also suggest that the parents are struggling themselves if you read the Milburn findings it was children growing up in deprived areas and kids leaving care that were over represented.