Written by David Roe, Contract Manager
As a manager of a service that helps young people into employment, education and training I have been very worried about the impact of Covid-19 on the economy as a whole and the implications for the young people we support.
There has been grim reading on this subject with Business Matters (www.bmmagazine.co.uk) reporting on 23rd March that Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at IHS Markit, said a recession ‘not seen in modern history’ is now likely.
The impact of this on young people could well be stark. The Institute of Student Employers has stated that “Many employers report that they will be recruiting less entry-level hires as a result of COVID-19. Around a quarter (27%) say that they will be recruiting less graduates, 23% less apprentices and school leavers and 31% less interns and placement students. These impacts come on top of a student labour market that is already stagnant. Reductions in hiring may be even more marked in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Unless this downturn is addressed there is the danger that unemployment and underemployment will grow for the COVID-19 generation who leave education this year and next. ” (https://ise.org.uk/page/blog-covid-19-challenges-for-student-recruitment)
At CSW Group we are already receiving calls from young people across the South West Peninsular that have become unemployed as a direct of this situation. We have also seen the cancellation of work experience placements.
What is CSW doing to help?
During this crisis our team at CSW Group continue to offer remote support to young people that find themselves NEET (not in employment or training) or who are at risk of becoming NEET.
This offer can be via email, telephone or video where we can provide impartial information, advice and guidance to support young people to look at the options available to ensure they move into a positive outcome where possible.
We are working closely with partners in education to ensure they can refer any young people they are concerned about. We are also keeping up to date with Training Providers so we know what their offer is during this time as well as with the Further Education College’s, so we are aware of their application process for September.
If you would like to contact us to find out more about the support we can offer please use one of the methods at; https://cswgroup.co.uk/contact/. You can follow us on our social media channels Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn and we will also be sharing useful resources and information here.
Stay safe.