NEETS let down by the Government

The Times, contained an important report today, regarding NEETS (Young people, not in education, employment or training). Its main premise was that the Government were masking true unemployment figures, because jobless young people were being put on courses, that had no real benefit whatsoever. It quoted the the Economic and Social Research Council arguing that: "These lower level vocational courses don't actually lead to.... jobs with a sustainable wage". A Training charity, added that: "the number of school leavers not in college and who aren't working could be more than 50% currently known about". According to David Willets (Conservative Higher Education Spokesman), NEETS are growing by up to 9,000 a week.

Youngsters out of work, and leaving school, should not be put on inadequate programmes by the Government, simply to get them off the unemployment register. As I mentioned in a previous blog posting, what young people yearn for, are real apprenticeships and vocational training. That is why Conservative policy to create up to 100,000 extra apprenticeships each year, and similar related opportunities in Further and Higher Education is so very important. We need real training opportunities, that are deep and long lasting - providing real work opportunities, rather than half hearted ' programmes' that leads only to the Job Centre revolving door.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com