North West Youth Unemployment Dave Simmonds Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion

Almost the worst...

Young people hit the hardest (UK percentage point change)

Hit over 18s the hardest

Long-term unemployment

North West young people in education and the labour force, Spring 2011 Labour market participation Education participation Not enrolled In Learning In employment ILO unemployedInactive NEET 147,000 Learning Participation 47% UK 48% Not in Learning 53% UK 52% 76,000 9% 71,000 8% 40,000 5%

How is the North West different from the UK?

Only 25% NEET not claiming benefits

NW Youth Claimants

NW Youth claimant count doubled now back to recession level

24% of North West young JSA are long-term 15,000

Employer demand: A gloomy picture, but some occupations are doing better Analysed JCP vacancies and new claims for 26 occupational groups Half of them are either good or not bad For example: – Elementary: administration, cleaning, security – Operatives: Process, plant & machine, assemblers, construction, drivers, mobile machine – Sales related – Skilled: metal, textile etc – Caring personal services

Apprenticeships in GM (% of young people starting)

Challenges for NW Increase ‘learning participation’ 16/17 NEETs – learning + work Employer demand for young people, especially new Apprenticeships Access to support for non-JSA claimants Pre-Work Programme - helping Jobcentre Plus Work Programme – maximise performance

A million reasons to act Wage subsidies to create temporary jobs for Work Programme young people Preparing school leavers for world of work: Delivering high quality careers advice Increasing recruitment of young people: Increase apprenticeships for unemployed A single Youth Employment and Skills service

The Work Programme Challenge Performance expectations: high in a difficult labour market Finance: recognition of economy and local economies Capacity and capability: skilled staff and stimulating innovation, especially in-work support Supply chain: difficult period, now need to invest Partnership and co-operation: local authorities, skills, health, housing etc + Primes working together Scrutiny and transparency: the more the better Customers: coping with fears and meeting expectations A high performing Work Programme means fewer long-term unemployed