My council is getting young people into work - yours can too

The risk of a ‘lost generation’ of young people, of one in six of them being not in education, employment or training (NEETs), is real.

Sixty-seven per cent of the young people surveyed during the review feel that schools are failing to equip them with the skills they need for the world of work, despite the ever-more competitive landscape they face.

Every politician, business leader and citizen of this country should consider how we can address this problem. We must find solutions to make sure every young person can see an opportunity for themselves in the industries shaping our future.

Fortunately for the Government, there’s a pioneering model right here in London which can be scaled up across the country, a ready-made solution to some of the issues laid out in the report.

Last year in Hammersmith and Fulham, we launched the Pathway Bond as part of our Upstream London industrial strategy to give every young person in the Borough the opportunity to access the support they need to get started in the world of work.

We are doing two things. We are asking our thriving business community in future industries – science, technology, engineering, maths, medicine and media (STEM3) – to partner with us to deliver work experience, mentoring and sponsorship opportunities.

And crucially, as part of the scheme, we, as a local council, are providing pre-placement training to ensure that those young people are fully prepared and ready to be in an office, helping to bridge the gap between education and work and stepping in where our schools just don’t have the capacity.

This is not a statutory responsibility for local government. But it is an area, as Milburn confirms, of generational importance, and we, as a council, are choosing to step in and help because it is the right thing to do.

At the same time, we're creating clear routes from classroom to career and giving businesses a simple way to inspire the next generation, build a skilled local workforce, and showcase the exciting careers they offer.

And this is the key: everyone has a part to play, and everyone benefits.

I like to quote the old African proverb that “it takes a village to raise a child”. For government, as we’ve demonstrated at the local level, there is a clear convening power to bring together young people and businesses and ensure that the latter are properly trained for work, all of which can be done without even needing legislation.

And for businesses, there is an opportunity to work with and inspire tomorrow’s talent, along with a clear desire to do more in this space.

Since we launched the Pathway Bond, over 100 organisations, including L'Oréal, Novartis, and the BBC, now offer these opportunities, supporting growth and opportunity across our Borough. The demand, then, is clearly there.

Local Government has a great opportunity to use its convening power to bring people together and to provide the preparation for work that young people clearly need.

So, this is a model for the Government to follow, of an activist, entrepreneurial municipal government. The Pathway Bond delivers for the young people who rely on us all and can help turn the tide against the explosion in NEETs. What are we waiting for?

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Cllr Stephen Cowan is the Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

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