Jobs for youngsters must be a top priority

Written by David Heath MP and published in Somerset Standard on Thu 27th Aug 2009

Like many families in the Frome area, we had some good news last week.

My son Tom went into Frome College last Thursday to get his A level results, and found to his relief that he had got his university place, in fact doing better than expected, so congratulations and celebrations were in order.

Unfortunately, some will not have done quite as well as they hoped, and getting a place through the clearing system is harder than ever this year. There will be a rapid change of plan for some, which may be a blessing in disguise if it gets people on to the right track for future employment. It may not always be the academic route that is best in the long term.

The biggest worry, though, is how few jobs there are around for young people at the moment. Whether it's university graduates, those applying straight from school, or anyone seeking a temporary summer job,

opportunities are few and far between. And that's a real concern. We can't afford another "lost generation" as we did in the eighties, unable to enter the job market until much later and inevitably overtaken by the next lot coming through.

We ignore youth unemployment at our peril. If and when we come out of the recession, it should be our top priority to get these youngsters into worthwhile jobs.