Young people have 10% less chance of securing a job, TUC study finds

Report finds 58% of 18-24-year-olds found work in 2013, against almost 65% in 2009, leaving a shortfall of 395,000 jobs

Young people are 10% less likely to be in work today than before the recession, the TUC has said ahead of official data tomorrow that is expected to show stubbornly persistent unemployment.

Only 58% of 18-24 year olds found work in 2013, compared with almost 65% in 2009, the unions said, leaving a shortfall of 395,000 jobs.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Ministers never stop claiming that a record number of people are in work. What they fail to mention is that it is more down to population growth than as a result of their employment policies."

"It's particularly worrying that 18-24-year-olds have not benefited from the recent improvement in the jobs market and they are losing out again as unemployment is rising."

The battle for work is exemplified by data showing that as many as 45 people are applying for every low-skilled job, published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development on Monday. Many employers overwhelmed with applications told the CIPD they would not even consider school leavers or the long term unemployed.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It’s worrying that 18-24-year-olds have not benefited from the recent improvement in the jobs market.

The number of people looking for work rose by 70,000 between December and February, according to the latest count, taking the unemployment tally to 2.56 million people, 7.9% of the labour force.

Economists expect the unemployment rate to remain unchanged when updated statistics are published on Wednesday.

Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight, said: "The underlying growth performance still seems insufficient to generate many new jobs in the private sector given the extended weakness of the economy and relatively high unemployment levels." He predicted that unemployment could rise to 8.2%, or 2.68 million people, by the end of the year.

According to the TUC, women over 50 have seen the biggest improvement in their employment prospects, as rising state pension ages delay retirement. An extra 166,800 50-64-year-olds stayed in work in 2013 compared to 2008. The TUC is calling for a job guarantee for every young person who has been out of work for six months.

"Ministers must do far more to help young people back into work. The current schemes are clearly not working. It's time for a bold new approach," said O'Grady.

A spokesperson at the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Tens of thousands of young people are benefiting from our schemes which help them get a job, set up their own business and gain experience to boost their CV and we're offering employers up to £2,275 if they take on an unemployed young person. We know youth unemployment remains a big challenge but there are now 65,000 fewer 18-24-year-olds claiming Jobseeker's Allowance compared to this time last year and over the same period youth unemployment has fallen by 46,000."

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Article source : http://www.guardian.co.uk