As widely expected, this week youth unemployment hit the symbolic one million mark.

These latest unemployment numbers paint a truly awful picture for young people negotiating an already fiercely competitive jobs market in Britain today.

The young unemployed are Britain's abandoned generation - excluded from the jobs market in a brutal economic climate.

But equally as fundamental is that, as well as being out of work, today's youth don't know where to turn. The lack of direction is almost as serious as the lack of jobs.

We all know how it feels to leave education, whether that's school or university, and feel daunted by the big wide world of work.

The reality is that most young people are not expecting to sponge off the state, they really do want to be employed, but the are few jobs and many applicants. And nowhere near enough support to help them get the training and experience and advice they need to get that all-important first job.

I'm not saying Britain's young unemployed need spoon-feeding, because initiative is a crucial attribute for an employee, but some level of guidance on how to navigate the jobs market would be welcome, as would clearer information on the benefits of seeking employment in order to inspire the young generation to find work.

Young people leave school and university and while they have learnt a lot, what they haven't learnt is the skills required to find employment. It's up to us to teach them those skills and give them the support they need.