THE UK will create 300,000 additional work experience and training placements for young people, the government said on Friday, a day after a review warned the country risks a “lost generation” locked out of work.
The placements will include work experience and short government-funded programmes for jobseekers claiming benefits. They will focus on sectors including construction, health and social care, and hospitality.
Earlier this year, the government announced a £2.5 billion youth employment support package, which it said would help create 200,000 jobs.
The latest move follows a review led by former minister Alan Milburn, which warned Britain risks a “lost generation” without urgent action.
The report said the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training has risen to just over one million, or one in eight, and could reach one in six within five years.
It also highlighted a sharp decline in entry-level jobs and work experience opportunities.
The review said public spending is skewed, with about 25 pounds spent on benefits for every pound spent on employment support for young people.
