The government has drafted in former Marks & Spencer chief Marc Bolland to tackle youth unemployment, after a review warned that a 'lost generation' is looming unless someone does something about it. Bolland's mission: rally business leaders to expand opportunities for the nation's idle youth, and advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on how to respond to the review's findings.
The review, penned by former minister Alan Milburn, paints a grim picture: one in six young people is on track to be out of work, education, or training within five years if nothing changes. That's roughly 16.7% of 16- to 24-year-olds destined for the Neet acronym club - Not in Employment, Education, or Training. Six in 10 of these Neets have never had a job, though 84% of them reportedly want one or training. So it's not a motivation issue; it's an opportunity one.
Official figures show over one million young people are currently Neet - the highest level in more than 12 years. In response, the government has announced that some of the UK's biggest businesses will back 300,000 work experience and training placements over the next three years. Bolland, who also ran Morrisons and Heineken, founded the charity Movement to Work after the 2011 riots, which has helped over 200,000 disadvantaged young people into work. He now gets to do it again, but this time with a government title.