Action for JobsHow to get the UK working

Neil Carberry

Director, Employment

14th December 2011

Labour market still impacted by the recession

Source: ONS, Labour Force Survey, Nov-Jan 2010 to Jul-Sept 2011 data

Youth unemployment is at an historic high

Source: ONS, Labour Force Survey, Nov-Jan 2010 to Jul-Sept 2011 data

Skills are key in today’s labour market

Source: NOMIS, Annual Population Survey, 2010 GB data

But percentage of 16-24 year olds with GCSE grades A*-C declined from 2009 to 2010

Source: NOMIS, Annual Population Survey, 2008, 2009 and 2010 GB data

AND 680,000 16-24 year

olds held NO qualifications in 2010 (9.7% of all 16-24 year olds).

At the same time the cost of employing young people has been rising

Source: ASHE, April 2007 to April 2010 data and National Minimum Wage data

Action for Jobs sets out recommendations to address these issues and get young people into work

1. Getting young people ready for the world of work

– Better quality work experience

– Employability Schools and closer links between schools and business

2. Improving the position of young people in the jobs market

– Freezing youth NMW rates

– Young Britain Credit

3. Making work pay

– Suspending rather than cancelling benefit payments

– Matching the structure of benefit payments more closely to the reality of how employees are paid

Any questions?neil.carberry@ cbi.org.uk

020 7395 8146