Financial News
- 4 February 2013, 15:52
Red Tape 'Strangling Youth Jobs Drive'
Attempts to get more than a million young people into work are being hampered by excessive bureaucracy and central government control, council leaders have claimed.
The Local Government Association (LGA) says a new, more local approach to tackling youth unemployment could reduce the number of young jobless people by a fifth.
In a report it complains of an "overly complicated" system of tackling youth unemployment, with 33 different national schemes covering 13 different age boundaries and costing £15bn a year.
The report says more than 94,000 people completed hair and beauty courses last year, even though there were only 18,000 new jobs in the sector.
By contrast, just 123,000 people were trained for around 275,000 advertised jobs in construction - more than two vacancies for every qualified person, said the LGA.
David Simmonds of the LGA, said: "Youth unemployment is a worrying trend for us all, particularly long-term youth unemployment which has doubled since 2008 and continues to grow.
"All the evidence in this report points to the success that local organisations, such as councils, businesses and education providers, can achieve when working together... but this is being hampered by successive centrally-driven government approaches."
He added: "Councils are in a unique position and can play a pivotal role in identifying young people that are likely to slip into periods of long-term unemployment.
"But we need to be given the powers to prevent this happening and help equip future jobseekers with the skills, confidence and real-life experience they need to find work in their area."
The LGA said councils should be the main commissioners of employment programmes aimed at young people, not central government.
what do you think?
liam hoy
Where the heck do they get thier statistics? 123,000 trained for 275,000 jobs in the construction industry! Then theyre forgettin the hundreds of thousand who are already trained and have been for years. So there most certainly isnt 2 jobs for every 1 person! Not abit of wonder the building trades on its backside if thats how they see it!
stewgwyn
Very true Liam. If there's no continuity of work in construction, where the hell do you go if you've been a bricklayer/joiner/scaffolder/heavy plant operator etc. all your life ?
Byron Eckhardt
Stopping mass immigration would help,we have just been told at work that if we don't work 7 days a week for no extra money we will be replaced by lithuanians,eu its goof for bosses bad for the working class.
Dr_MonicaKh
Why are there so many vacancies advertised daily if 'there aren't any jobs'
Hector Gomez
What about if the English youth unemployed saved a little money each week whilst learning to speak Polish by studying in the evening. Then left their families and friends to live in a bedsit it Warsaw and work as a cleaner or serve in a fast food resturant. Surely this is an option?
stewgwyn
No Hector, it's not an option. Polish come here to improve their wages and prospects. So what is the point of any British going over there to take a retrograde step in wages ?
field_pete
On the news this morning were Polish immigrants in Southampton saying how willing and happy they are to work for the minimum wage as it gives them a better standard of life than back home in Poland. With the lowest tax threshold increasing to over £9k they are contributing less. If they have to be here then tax thresholds should not apply, tax every single penny they earn and see how much fun it is living in the UK. British people are more than capable and skilled to do these jobs, the young need a start. Immigration has driven wages down and it is a myth that there is a financial benfit to the UK from immigration.
Hector Gomez
I just wonder how these young Poles are able to totally wipe the floor with English unemployed youths when it comes to applying for menial low paid jobs? Maybe they are naturally better at job interviews even when it's not conducted in their native language? Surely, It couldn't be that a culture of dependency and laziness has been allowed to develop in the UK. Surely if all the vacancies were filled by eager locals immigration wouldn't be so easy. Maybe wages have been driven down by businesses being allowed to unfairly exploit their workforces?
field_pete
Rubbish, young British kids age 16 to 18 are having to compete for jobs with Eu and non Eu immigrants who are 20 plus, our kids can't get their foot in the door.
Hector Gomez
You're right Pete, I was wrong. Our young Brits stand no chance against these foreign competitors. How can they compete for jobs at 16 which 20year olds from far of lands. This is especially hard as there is compulsory education until they are 17. It's not all bad news though, our young Brits are leading the field in some things. They're creaming their foreign rivals in levels of obesity, alcohol consumption and unwanted pregnancies. A jolly fine effort.
peter brady
All these young Brits who, like Field Pete, write such 'perfect' English and have complete command of their mother tongue losing out to immigrants whose second or even third language is English. Why is that? And why are you so resentful? The jobs are out there ? go and get them. Immigrants haven't driven wages down - unscrupulous employers drive down wages. And what of the hundreds of thousands who emigrate to Australia, Canada and other EU countries from the UK to find a better 'way of live'. We would have to repatriate them all in your 'brave new world'.
stevie may
Another Lost Generation coming ahead, swelling the Underclass with millions more to live without hope. Just like a generation of young people back in the 1980's. Between the ages of 16-18 you cant even get subsistance benefits. . . And government/society wonder why crime keeps getting worse
stephen
yes Stevie remember clegg saying i will not let him turn it in to the 80s liar
Ange Vernon
Bring back the old yts scheme for 16-18yr olds.worked well in the 80s.
stephen
it didn't work well .
Ange Vernon
It did work 4a lot of pple n kept u off the streets n u gained experience n basic qualifications n gave head start in work enviroment.theres nothing 4 16-18yr olds like that now.i was never out of work from when i did yts till 13yrs ago when circumstances changed.did me n a lot of others good
movvi
I am aware that there's a recession, a shortage of jobs and so on. Having said that, I think there's another burning issue. I have long supported today's kids in the main - I am a great fan of many of them; however recently one was grumbling about how "foreigners come and take all the doctors' jobs - you're never treated by a British doctor in the hospital". A valid point, perhaps, but I was inclined to point out that if a few more of our own pulled their finger out and made the effort, the job might well be theirs. Lots who make such sweeping statements need to look closer to home and realise that without any effort, social skills and qualifications, it's far tougher to get one of the far-too-scarce jobs that are out there!
gengisken1227
It's a good point you raise movvi - why dos't British youth choose to study medicine? I don't know, but then our government also doesn't know, it may help if it asked some of them. Recent government figres show - 91% of immigrants come to Britain to be treated by their own doctor. It's a joke of course,............or is it?
movvi
It's true for lots of other jobs too, G. There seems a lack of ambition and drive generally. People are so apathetic now it riles me. My sister had a cockerel called Genghis, incidentally!
Hector Gomez
Hector agrees, the sad fact is that young British unemployed are not getting low paid service industry jobs and foreign workers are. We need to look at WHY we can't compete with foreign workers which may mean acknowledging some unpalatable facts. We have a history of Governments letting our families down, parents letting their children down and children letting themselves down. We now have a generation of working class youth who have largely been allowed to squander their educational opportunities. It would be better to take responsibility for this and try to effect some positive change. Sadly the easy answer is to always blame Johnny foreigner.
blue side
movvi you mention about doctors a friend's son had one hell of a game getting a university place for medicine many universities have stopped first degrees in medicine and of those that still do courses they were all being taken by foreign students who of course pay more.
movvi
I'm sure, blue That's really frustrating and quite sad for your pal's son. My point really was about those who don't intend to try and do well but who grumble anyway about others doing so. Some kids at work actually say they want to go on the dole. This lack of awareness and drive is tragic!
stewgwyn
Yes Movvi, too many people are apathetic about the acquisition of knowledge, if you can't work, you can still learn. I've learned to speak Welsh, since living in Gwynedd, to maintain some continuity of employment (although reading and writing it is a different matter). But in spite of that, I still get the odd accusation on here of being racist if i dare to suggest that not all immigrants are good workers.
movvi
Nice one, stewgwyn. I could never work where I do if I couldn't speak and write fluent Welsh. It's an absolute requirement here! I imagine it would also be racist to say that some immigrants were NOT lazy! Can't win, man.
gengisken1227
It used to be the case that 60% of jobs were in small businesses. Except that with all the continuous restrictive legislation from government and the EU, small business owners now need a legal department to cope,..............which is a bit difficult when YOU are the sole member of the business. Business owners like myself have decided the risk of potential liability and the huge dispute resolution costs are just not something we want to live with. Being able to sleep at night is usually quite high on many peoples priorities. Remaining stuck in the EU means nothing will change, whatever our lying government says.
blue side
gengis I had to produce a paper on SMEs and sole traders and in my research found a DTI sponsored report by a man called Marc Cowling at University of Birmingham where he identified red tape as a barrier to business employing people. Did government take notice NO - when was it produced January 2003. Says it all
peter brady
I'm a sole trader. I employ - on a freelance basis - around 10 people. Everyone gets paid the same rate (between 20 - 35 pph depending on experience and job) I have freelancers from England, Spain, Bulgaria, the US and Italy. All of them are legal, all of them got the work on merit. The EU has not stopped me from employing anyone and in fact has assisted my contacts and ability to work / invest in another 26 markets. So called 'red tape; is there to protest the worker. Which means that I have certain obligations towards them and they have to be insured / accredited etc. It's no hassle. The English I have interviewed have, I am sorry to say, on the whole been drunks and unreliable. And I mean that. Although I do have four excellent English people working for me at the moment.
blue side
peter as freelance they would I presume be self-employed thus contractors which is different from the defined role of employer which is what this item is about
blue side
One thing that is true is RED TAPE is strangling all business. Now know three people who have got out because they were spending more time filling government forms and meeting red tape requirements than they were running their business
stewgwyn
Yes, Blue, those who want to work and those who want to recruit are being impeded by the jobsworths.
blue side
stewgwyn the problem is getting rid of a lot of this red tape much of which has as a footnote some referenced EU Directive. There needs to be flexibility and for all sides of the labour market to be flexible in their approach but then that is impeded by things like H&S, insurance etc etc
Michael Hawkins
" The report says more than 94,000 people completed hair and beauty courses last year, even though there were only 18,000 new jobs in the sector. By contrast, just 123,000 people were trained for around 275,000 advertised jobs in construction - more than two vacancies for every qualified person, said the LGA." would the LGA get the 76000 unemployed nail technicians & hair dressers to lay bricks ? I do not think so Industry has for decades been complaining about Poor educational standards and lack of work ethic from School leavers - they just might have a point May be government of all colours should start listening to those who employ school leavers There is little point in education to a level no one want
stewgwyn
I agree Michael, and too many people are attaining degrees in careers that do not exist, like Music Technology, for example. Surely a career in music is founded on the desire and the talent to get out and perform in front of the paying public. If they like you, and you learn from your experience, you have the makings of a career.
peter brady
" The report says more than 94,000 people completed hair and beauty courses last year, even though there were only 18,000 new jobs in the sector. By contrast, just 123,000 people were trained for around 275,000 advertised jobs in construction - more than two vacancies for every qualified person, said the LGA." So how exactly it this the fault of the EU or of immigrants?
stewgwyn
Yes Peter, there are always jobs in construction where projects exist, but the problem is the lack of continuity. Communities need more building and road improvements, but are denied the f*u*n*d*s. (The word I intended to use is somehow considered offensive) !
peter brady
There are plenty of jobs. Employers have to pay a minimum wage - which is the same for all. (Of course there are illegal employers but they are a small minority) Catering, fruit picking, construction, leisure industry is open to all. The fact that immigrants work in these industries is a testament to their enterprise and work ethic. The jobs are there for all. The wages are the same regardless of nationality. Immigrants work hard, apply themselves and and have stamina.
Louisa Gieldon
A very close relative of mine works there. She would strongly disagree with your assessment of how many jobs are available peter
Peter Coates
Have you been into a job centre. Better off going to the zoo.
Matt Stoner
When I left school at 17, with decent grades. I decided against college and instead looked for work. I was into the great outdoors and wanted a job to suit. The "New Deal" scheme as it was, got me a placement with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, right up my street. I was out in the forests repairing footpaths, even on an uninhabitated island for a week in a ranger station rebuilding cliff tracks and giving talks to visiting tourists. Was fantastic, but to gain my qualification is conservation I had to work with them for a year. Under New Deal, I could only work a maximum of 6 months on any placement, I pleaded with the Job Centre to let me stay there but they weren't interested. They cut my dream career short. 15yrs on and I am in a decent job with good pay, but it's a world away from what I was doing.......looks like nothing has changed since with this lot..........
Peter Edwardson
In my experience with most of these government schemes and initiatives most of the money goes to the people and the companies contracted to deliver them. When they have taken their cut there is very little left to be spent on the actual objective.
Peter Coates
Quite right. The cash goes to their mates who don't do anything about creating jobs. Dopey duffers working in job centres can't even add up.
field_pete
7:23am on 2/2/2013
Oh, it's red tape is it, nothing to do with the flood of EU and non EU immigrants that take all the jobs.
Dr_MonicaKh
8:59am on 2/2/2013
There are plenty of vacancies advertised daily. If there were no jobs, there wouldn't be any vacancies. Lack of correct skill sets are the issue.
Dr_MonicaKh
9:00am on 2/2/2013
Plus the inability to stand out
Hector Gomez
9:22am on 2/2/2013
Oh blame it on immigration, fair enough. But why can't the English Youth compete in the job market with people who have had to travel great distances from poor Eastern European countries? Why are they losing out to people who have been offered a lower standard of education and do not have English as their first language. Hmmm I wonder?
Diane Rogers
11:14am on 2/2/2013
Plus the longer older people have to work before they get pension even less jobs for younger people.
movvi
8:28pm on 2/2/2013
People are indeed working longer and so filling positions the young could have filled sooner. Even worse, lots of retired people return to their old jobs to fill in - for example retired teachers return to do supply teaching. Their final salary would have been about 35K while a newly qualified teacher would be on about 22K. Such an unfair and expensive scam! Also, Hector, what is very sad is how many are offered a superior education here and just ignore it. Some in other countries would be grateful, I feel.
stewgwyn
8:44am on 8/2/2013
Yes Movvi, and well-pensioned, early retired police officers walking into soft security jobs. They're married to the job all their lives and they can't give it up. I personally can't wait to have the time to do everything that I've missed out on. Not enough money in the world for some people.