Towns where 1 in 4 young people are 'Neets' revealed

Link
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/nov/03/towns-where-1-in-4-neets





Summary
According to a recent report, one in 4 young people are not employed, in education or training (Neets) in some areas in England. While cities such as Aberdeen, Oxford, Cambridge and Plymouth have less than 10% Neets, towns in the outskirts and areas of industrial decline are facing large percentages of unemployment. The problem gets even worse for those who have little-to-no qualifications, so it is not surprising that a feeling of ‘no future’ could already be sensed in some of these areas.

My reaction

This article actually portrays something that is happening in most European countries and that affects me directly. It shows that the crisis is having a worrying effect on young people in the UK. The fact that nearly a quarter of British between 16 and 25 are Neets (Not employed, in education or training) shows that young people in Britain are facing complicated times. Although qualification usually make a difference, such unemployment rates reveal that higher education does not necessarily guarantee a job.  This is extremely discouraging for young people like us because even though we choose to study because we want to have a broader knowledge, we do expect that by improving our qualifications we will get a better job. At best, the young unemployed will agree to have unpaid internships or accept underpaid jobs hoping to get some job experience. Of course, big companies actually benefit from these rubbish contracts while the young people who they hire aren’t even able to leave the family home. Other young people will just hang around doing nothing. In my opinion, facing unemployment at the beginning of your career will have a negative effect on the motivation and self-confidence of young generations in the UK. Likewise, this attitude will damage not only the economy but also society as a whole.  We can already see young people’s discontent just by looking at the quick growth of the occupy movement, so I think tackling the Neets should be one of the governments major priorities.