Theme 2: Equality, inequality and diversity at work

A project by Melanie Simms and Sophie Gamwell, with Ben Hopkins of Aberystwyth University, looked at issues of young people’s skills and experiences of (un)employment against the background of a very difficult labour market. Funded by Unionlearn, it involved interviews with employers, trade unionists, young people, and career advisers about the challenges facing young people in finding work and training opportunities. Although there were good examples of innovation from companies, unions and NGOs the story was, overall, a bleak one. Young people and the mechanisms to support them into work have suffered especially badly in the current recession. Structured careers advice is, at best, patchy and poorly funded. Large numbers of employers lack information about funding for skills training and even where they are do engage with these systems (e.g. through providing apprenticeships) they find it hugely difficult, frustrating and time consuming. Young people reported numerous ‘scams’ where work advertised was not what was offered. In the absence of clear support mechanisms, successful transition into work (let alone good work) was largely a matter of luck. The Executive Summary of the report can be found on the Unionlearn website (http://www.unionlearn.org.uk).