Youth Careers Collective
The Challenge

A young person’s prospects today are still largely defined by where they grew up and what their parents did.

While some may point to low aspirations, this is often not the case, but rather the simple fact that while talent is evenly spread, opportunity is not.

Over 1 million 16 to 24 year olds are neither earning or learning

Unemployment among young people is up to 16.3%, more than 3 times the unemployment rate for all ages. This has been severely exacerbated over recent events, including the impact of Covid, the advent of Artificial Intelligence, and a rapidly changing and unsettled job market.

Young people highlight a lack of work experience as the number one barrier to getting a job, yet just 26% of young people currently in education, from secondary school to University, undertook work experience in the past year, and only 50% of young people think they have the work experience employers want (Youth Employment UK – Youth Census 2025). Anxiety, lack of local jobs and lack of careers support are also highlighted by young people as key barriers to entering work.

A growing number of research reports have found that sustained and meaningful engagement with employers and the world of work can and does have a significant impact on a young person’s likelihood of safely transitioning into employment and ability to pursue a rewarding careers.

See below a range of recommended influential report from partner organisations, exploring both the challenges and solutions to the youth employment crisis.

We also recommend visiting Youth Futures Foundation, who are the Government What Works Centre for Youth Employment.

Recommended Research Reports

The Youth Jobs Gap report reveals how multiple layers of disadvantage affect young people’s chances of not being in employment, education or training (NEET)

This research explores key trends and key drivers by looking at Labour Force Survey data by gender, region and health.

This report sets out key findings from the OECD Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) as they relate to teenage career development. The report shows that across OECD countries, students are now expressing very high levels of career uncertainty and confusion.

This report follows an inquiry into place based approaches to tackling youth unemployment. Evidence submitted shows that support for young people and youth employment that responds to local challenges, labour market demands and the needs of the young people in their communities is an effective way to approach the youth unemployment challenge.

This report explores the extent and degree of overlap between different forms of marginalisation among young people in England, and how experiencing multiple types of marginalisation may increase the risk of young people not being in employment, education, or training.

This report – and the research that informs it – looks at employers’ perspective on and experience of good quality youth employment. It complements previous research focused on young people’s views and experiences of good work.

This report analyses the evidence base on various aspects of our secondary education system that are within the control of ministers and civil servants, and which could therefore be reconfigured to improve young people’s attainment, confidence and self-esteem. Importantly, it finds compelling evidence that making pupils concentrate almost exclusively on academic subjects can undermine their motivation, aspirations and confidence.

This report lays out why we urgently need to improve our offer to those young people who are at most risk of being, or have already been, locked out of education, employment and training. It emphasises that many young people are prevented from finding sustainable work by a lack of access to appropriate information, advice and connections, inadequate support to overcome disadvantage, or as a result of discrimination.

This report aims to address the challenge of youth unemployment by exploring the role extracurricular activities can play in equipping young people with the skills and experiences they need to enter the workforce and progress in their careers.