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.

Use a fucking dictionary

Unnecessary? I was asking for clarification.
I'm amazed at how many of you read malice into a neutral question.

I was just associating it with the most similar term I knew. Based on the bare information that was given - only the meaning of each letter - I made the natural assumption that it aligned with the concept of a slacker.
Any of the posters would have been welcome to clarify by saying something like: It's a newish term for younger people struggling with current economic problems.

It's at this point that you report me to MN for using bad language. It was joyous.

Just out of curiosity, what qualifications do you need to grow pot plants? surely horticulture is something you just learn on the job?

It's not judgmental. Based on the bare information that was given - only the meaning of each letter - I made the natural assumption that it aligned with the concept of a slacker.
Any of you would could have clarified by saying something like: It's a newish term for younger people struggling with the job market in the current economy.

Perfect example of an unhelpful, unenlightening reply.

Two days of this. Two days of people picking you up on this and your ridiculous and persistent behaviour. I know that I've had enough. You have insulted everyone on this thread. And am I cross? Yes, I am. I've spent the whole day in A&E in not one but two hospitals, and came here to MN to have a nice chat. And I get you. Again.

Thanks for the rare example in this thread of a helpful reply. A lot of people were seeing something malicious in my questions. I hadn't heard the term before and was surprised that when it was invented it didn't manage to incorporate the word "young."
Yes, it's depressing and worrisome. I get the feeling that nowadays companies want to hire someone who already knows the job. Luckily for me, when I got out of school, companies just hired any kids who seemed reasonably intelligent, and then taught them the ropes.

Can we stop saying "cutting lawns" as the lowest of the low. One of my sons does this , and although it's not ideal at least he's having a crack and earning some money, he is also very good ( although technically qualified as a tiler). I didn't want him working in tiling as it is extremely hazardous to the health of young people. Silicosos, asbestosis for those who are wondering whilst not technically tiling are rife in the general industry. I'd prefer he cut lawns.

I think there’s currently a lack of jobs in general. However, young people are bottom of the pile, and they are competing against older people who can’t currently find jobs to match their level of expertise.

Its not helped by the fact that the government keep raising the retirement age, so older generations are now holding onto jobs well into their 60s.

Yup, with you on that. I wish I knew the answer.

I think there’s also a lot of useless degrees about. The university system is outdated and very disconnected from the employment market.

The government are also cutting loads of civil service and NHS roles, and universities are facing a financial crisis and are also cutting jobs. This will be adding thousands to the number of people competing for jobs.

It’s all very well for Reform to be jumping up and down telling us that we’ve got too many civil servants, but the reality is that the private sector can’t absorb all these extra people. It will just mean that those at the bottom of the pile don’t get employed, which is usually those with the least experience.

I have 2 in this age range , neither are Neets. The older.one did a degree and now works very hard in a job related to this and did work through uni as bar staff. Dd just started uni has applied to 60 part time jobs and has not had any luck, neither have her friends. She is more socially akward than her brother, comunicates less well. i thought about this a while ago. At the age she should have been going out, experiancing more of life, cinema trips etc she was in lock down. Half of year8 and most of year 9. Communication with any friend was on line, there was no option. I really feel this has had a huge part to play in the increase in Neets, thay just havent got the life experiance to help them find work. The few.jobs that come up are hugely competative , and from what I've seen depend on other social conections, or the ability for graduate job screening to.get the right buz words in.on yor ai screened interview to actually make.it to a person to be interviewed. We.need urgent government action to increase apprentiships.and also make employing younger people more attractive, perhaps a.tax break for having more than 10% of your work place under.24?

Compounding that, I've noticed many posts (not saying it's everyone, but really noticeable to me) from parents who cocoon their teens during the senior high school years. The sole focus is exams and results for university entrance.

Some of these kids are well into their 20s before anyone's expecting them to do any adulting at all, and they're competing against their peers who have already been a junior manager at McDonalds or a football coach or a Navy cadet leader for e.g.

This happened to me 20 years ago. Came out of Uni and ended up in a receptionist position. Had no idea what I wanted to do and had no preparation for the job market ie interview skills, job applications, job research etc… I could write an essay though.

Having had this experience I would
recommend people don’t do a degree until they are 25 especially with the huge cost of them. Do the shit jobs now and work out how to exist in the workforce and then decide if a degree is worth it.

The good news is they will come right.. I got caught up in the 2008 GFC and I have still made it out alive even though there was some stress.

Sadly 'pride' on minimum wage jobs isn't enough to afford to rent a room in a shared house in 80% of the country any more...

It's hopeless living a life on such wages without council help or family help... You certainly can't raise a family on 1 minimum wage job anymore, house them, pay bills, food etc.

Jesus. Young people have been utterly screwed by house prices and soaring rents...

My child checks if he can afford to rent a room in an area before he spends 1hr plus applying for any job online, only to be scanned by R2D2 (AI) and rejected 2 mins later... The AI can smell that he hasn't got parents able to 'top up' his wages so he can rent a 12ft x 6ft room with 4 others in Catford or Peckham.

I do laugh when I watch only fools and horses take the p out of Peckham and Nelson Mandela house... Those flats are 3k a month rent now!!!!

The job and housing world has changed entirely in 25yrs... And it's never going back to the accessibility of the 90s.

I think your idea that they have no sense of purpose is naive, all those symptoms are associated with mental health /neurodiversity . As for poor diet, I would say that's pretty common in teenagers.

I also think raising the pension age was a bad move and was bound to cause issues, you often see mature people in supermarket jobs these days that might once be held by young people.

Volunteering also allows you to network and be more exposed to different opportunities that become available.

University is not there to produce workers but to give an education and someone studying for 3 plus years has shown a degree of commitment that could be used in employment. A lot of this poor degree stuff is snobbery.

There's no need to be ageist, you've made your point

This is true but Sam Altman, for one, has been credibly accused of wildly exaggerating the progress AI has made, and it's possible he's not alone.

I recommend this New Yorker investigation :

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted

And this Substack

https://garymarcus.substack.com/p/sam-altman-unconstrained-by-the-truth&ved=2ahUKEwj9hIPb492UAxVwUEEAHQI-DzcQFnoECEoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1rt1XubCapjqd2nFhNBRST