Young people, hardest hit by rise in unemployment, to get free training and mentoring.

Following the release of the latest ONS figures yesterday, demonstrating that young people have been hardest hit by the recent rise in unemployment, Future Leaders Network is calling for renewed focus on protecting the competitiveness of the future labour market.

While out of work, young people are missing out on the gaining of knowledge and experience from their colleagues and from building the skills needed to thrive in the workplace in the longer term. This has a disproportionate impact on their long term earning potential and competitiveness in the labour market, not to mention reducing the talent pool available to businesses across the UK in the longer term.

A recent report by the Resolution Foundation also highlighted the broader deterioration in living standards of this generation in comparison with their parents, not to mention the mental health implications of long periods out of work during the pandemic. It said about one-in-seven people under the age of 30 have missed a rent or mortgage payment since the pandemic began, compared to just one-in-thirty 60- to 69-year-olds.

Despite this, measures to support the continued building of capability in those young people most impacted by the pandemic have, thus far, been limited.

Here’s what our Chairman, Ian Mason, had to say about the matter:

“The formative years of a person’s career have a substantial impact on their long term economic potential.

While a loss of earnings delays young people reaching important life milestones, such as buying a house and building savings, it is the loss of experience that causes the greatest long-term damage – for each individual and for our economy.

If we are to build a workforce fit for the future, it is vital that our young people continue to build their leadership capabilities and to benefit from the passing of knowledge and experience between generations whilst they are out of work.

In order to play our role in supporting this, we’re making our Annual Conference free for any young person that is currently unemployed. Come along, virtually, learn at our masterclasses and from some of our speakers, including entrepreneurs, journalists, politicians and from businesses such as Bain & Paypal.”

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, FREE OF CHARGE, CLICK HERE. PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR NETWORKS TOO! TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE, CLICK HERE.