A quarter of young people think they will not be able to find a job, according to figures released on Tuesday.
The survey's results are released ahead of youth employment figures due to be published on Wednesday. The research, conducted by YouGov and the Private Equity Foundation , captured the worrying trend of uncertainty among young people concerning their future.
But do they have due cause to be worried?
Latest figures released by the Department for Education show nearly one million 16 to 24 year-olds are classed as NEETs (not in education, employment or training). The YouGov survey finds more than one in ten young people have never undertaken work experience and one in four will leave school without any interaction with employers, either through career days or presentations. As government funding for career services are slashed, this seems to paint a bleak picture for youth employment prospects.
Shaks Ghosh, chief executive of the private equity foundation, said: "All too often we hear about a lost generation but we know these young people are not lost. They just need the right support. This highlights once again some of the key deficits our young people face as they venture into adulthood."
The Private Equity Foundation launched a manifesto in April this year which called for urgent action from the government.
Chairman of the education select committee Graham Stuart offered his full support to the foundation.
"We urgently need leadership and a coordinated strategy to help each one reach their full potential. These young people must be prioritised so they build the skills and gain the support they need to reverse their current disengagement."