The impact of COVID on young peoples’ learning and employment
Ensuring young people are equipped with the opportunities and skills needed to enter the labour market contributes not only to their own well-being but also to the financial and social wellbeing of any nation.
Youth labour markets are volatile places even in prosperous times. In periods of economic disruption, research shows that young people are first to lose their jobs and last to find employment as the economy rebounds.
Our first mission forum sought to understand the impact COVID has had on young people in terms of their access to learning and the labour market.
Forum members and witnesses
Annabel May, Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice at New Schools Network
David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges
Yvonne Kelly, Principal and Chief Executive of Barking & Dagenham College
Siobhan Randell, Senior Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager at Multiverse
Annabel May
Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice at New Schools Network
Dr Hugh Raymond-Pickard
Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder, IntoUniversity
Naomi Clayton
Deputy Director for Research and Development, Learning and Work Institute (L&W)
Key statistics
- Comparing Q1 2021 with Q1 2020, unemployment for young people increased by 52,000, a 10% increase (9% for men, 11% for women).
- The unemployment rate for this age group is up 2.2% on the period and currently stands at 14.3%.
- For the same period, the number of young people in employment has fallen by 336,000, a 9% fall. The fall for men has been larger, with employment levels falling by 11% for men and by 7% for women.
- 249,000 more young people have become economically inactive, an increase of 10%. As of 28 February 2021 (prior to the reopening of retail and hospitality), 830,500 jobs held by those aged 24 or under were on furlough, 22% of all eligible jobs.
- Almost two million jobs held by young people, and almost half of all eligible jobs, were furloughed at some point between March and the end of July.
Statistics from the House of Commons research brief and Institute for Employment Studies (IES)
COVID young learner experiences
Damar Training
Jonathan Bourne explains how training providers have joined the academic ‘front line heroes’ as they support apprentices through the pandemic.
Olivia Glover
Level 3 BTEC Music learner, Olivia Glover explains her experience with studying at home during COVID-19.
Scott Ballard
BTEC Level 3 Public Services learner Scott Ballard has taken on the role as an essential worker during the closure of his college due to COVID-19.