It's A Great Time To Get Hired!

It's A Great Time To Get Hired!

Taking the first step onto the career ladder is one of the most challenging things we will ever do.

Whether they've just left school, college or university, right this second thousands of young people up and down the country are finding themselves wondering what to do next.

Thankfully, for them, our jobs market is in a strong place. There are around 750,000 vacancies out there at any one time - so there are plenty of opportunities.

Official figures out yesterday also show that employment is at a record high, with 31.77 million people now in work and youth unemployment is down by over 300,000 since 2010. This rise in employment continues to be driven by full-time work.

But having more job vacancies out there doesn't automatically mean it becomes easier for someone to find the right first job. Actually, for times like this a little extra support can go a long way.

This morning I went along to the Prince's Trust's 'Get Hired' day where young jobseekers had the opportunity to meet a number of mentors and employers.

They were able to ask lots of questions and received valuable advice and guidance on avenues like apprenticeships, training opportunities and entry level roles to help make the right decision for them. In the past I've been a business mentor for the Prince's Trust so I've seen their great work first hand.

I met Sharell - a young woman who was introduced to JJ Goodman, founder of The London Cocktail Club, at an earlier Get Hired event. Seven months on, she's really enjoying her office role and has picked up a whole range of skills along the way.

Seeing young people engaged with their job searches and growing in confidence like this was fantastic, and initiatives like this have a big part to play in helping ensure young people find success in the jobs market.

Businesses also have a role to play in supporting young people into work, and it was encouraging to see big names like Standard Life supporting today's event. I want to see more companies of all sizes joining up with this sort of scheme.

I've written before about the benefits of having a diverse workforce, and the enthusiasm and drive of young people can really benefit employers. Diverse teams are more creative and having a breadth of experience spanning younger and older employees can really help identify with a diverse customer base.

As a Government we are committed to providing support to young people to help ensure that we have a society that works for everyone and not just the privileged few.

Over the coming months we are extending our Jobcentre Support for Schools scheme which provides schools, pupils and their parents with guidance on the skills employers seek and routes into work experience, traineeships and apprenticeships.

In fact, our work coaches were on hand in some schools on exams results day over the summer to help get job searches underway and help young people make the first steps into employment.

Starting out in the world of work is a challenge. But with a little extra practical support we can help more young people find work and flourish in new careers.

Close

What's Hot