Last week I led my first Westminster Hall debate on what I believe is an important topic ‘Youth Employment’. This is an area where Government initiatives have been overall successful in getting more young people into work. In Chichester, for example, youth unemployment is a third of what it was in 2010, and nationally it is at its lowest since 2001. I worked in Spain during the last recession and I saw first-hand the impact that high youth unemployment has on people, where at its peak it was around 50% and even today, nearly a decade later, it stands at 38%. This has led to a generation of young people who are well educated but unable to get onto the first rung of the employment ladder.
A big part of the debate was about providing the next generation with more opportunities and a wider range of routes into the workplace. I started work as an apprentice in a car factory near Liverpool. After seven years, I had valuable work experience, a degree in Business Studies and, as this was sponsored, I managed to avoid student debt. This route isn’t for everybody but more degree level apprenticeships are being offered at businesses across the country including Rolls Royce who are collaborating with Chichester University. In the debate, I also spoke about the wide range of options available at Chichester FE College which has produced 25,000 apprentices, and tailors many of its courses with some of the 5,000 businesses it works with.
It is vital that we develop Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills to build the talent required to fill the jobs of the future. As digital technology advances, any young person today needs to also ensure they are comfortable in the digital world and there is a lot of investment in education to help them.
I discussed career opportunities further with some pupils from Selsey Academy where I visited to check out the progress on the building works. The facilities will be fantastic when they open in January 2019 and will include new classrooms, a library and an art block.