The Government must launch an urgent nationwide programme of enterprise education to avoid creating a lost generation of British youth, the chief executive of Young Enterprise said.
As the latest official figures showed unemployment among young people rising at an alarming rate, Ministers should act to boost the ‘employability’ skills of young people – and give them the option of running their own businesses at some point in their lives.
Catherine Marchant, interim Chief Executive of Young Enterprise, the UK’s largest enterprise education charity said, ‘Young Enterprise believes the Government must take urgent action now to improve the job chances of Britain’s young people to help them compete in the global market place.
‘No one disagrees that high standards in English, maths and science are essential. But with the economy showing no signs of recovery any time soon, young people more than ever need schools to teach them a much wider set of ‘employability’ skills. These include teamwork, taking responsibility, thinking globally, reliability, confidence and ability to innovate – all qualities that companies look for when choosing new recruits.
‘Employers are crying out for people who can do more than answer questions on an exam paper. That is why 188 major companies signed the Young Enterprise Charter calling for enterprise education to be established in the official National Curriculum. We must give young people a decent chance not just to take a job – but make one for themselves too by being given the skills to make self-employment an option at some stage in their lives.’
