Youngsters who become Neets at 16 risk years out of work, alarming analysis shows

YOUNG Brits face being written off in their teens as they struggle to break the cycle of getting into work or training, shock figures reveal. Sixty-five per cent of youngsters aged 16 known as NEETs – those not in education, training or employment – will remain so the following year, research shows. 65% of NEETS aged 16 will remain so the following year, research shows Credit: Alamy Education Sec Lucy Powell says, ‘One million kids not earning or learning is a tragedy’ Credit: Alamy Ministers are currently grappling with more than one million youths aged 16-24 being left on the jobs scrapheap unless the cycle is broken. The study comes after Education Secretary Lucy Powell faced a major backlash this week after blaming Lord Michael Gove for his reforms for triggering the youth inactivity crisis. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! But Ms Powell last night said: “One million kids not earning or learning is a tragedy. “Our education system simply isn’t working for all young people. Later this month, thousands will head to school to collect their exam results. “Sadly, for far too many they are going to leave school that day without a decent set of qualifications to help them progress in education or work. “This has tragic consequences. Far too many will disengage at 16 and be written off, with no job or place in education to build their skills. I won’t accept that.” There’s a 71 per cent chance of being a NEET for at least 12 months between the ages of 18 and 21 if they aren’t in work or gaining skills at 16 or 17, the study reveals. But this drops to just 21 per cent if they aren’t in the cohort aged 16 or 17, figures from the Department for Education show. Most read in Money Prime Minister Andy Burnham has already said the system has been built for too long round university route with some young people seen as second-class citizens. Labour grandee Alan Milburn is leading a review into the Neets issue saying there is a risk of an “economic catastrophe” along with a “moral crisis”. He has previously said that the failure to put technical and university education on a level playing field is a “big part” of the problem. It comes after Ms Powell said forcing schools to prioritise academic learning had resulted in the Neets crisis. But critics have hit out at their policies such as hiking the minimum wage. She added: “In the years to come we need to do more to break this cycle. “We’ve got to put an end to kids leaving school without the qualifications – both academic and vocational – that set them up for life with a clear line of sight to employment.” Comment now