Just HALF of school leavers are 'work-ready' with four in ten never having done any work experience
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found only 47 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds say they left school work-ready.
This compares to 54 per cent of those aged 25 to 34, 67 per cent of those aged 55 to 64, and 74 per cent of over-64s.
It comes amid a youth unemployment crisis, with nearly one million 16 to 24-year-olds now Neet (not in education, employment, or training) – an 11-year high.
The think tank said the apparent decrease in work readiness could be due to a lack of work experience opportunities in school.
It found 40 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds never completed a work experience placement at school, compared with only 25 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds.
And 57 per cent of the younger age group said finding work experience opportunities was reliant on 'who you know, not what you know'.
The report said access to work experience is 'still overly reliant on social capital like personal or family networks'.
It said 38 per cent of those aged 16 to 25 found out about work experience via their parents or family friends.
And 23 per cent said there were no good work experience opportunities in their local area.
The nationally-representative poll of more than 3,000 16 to 75-year-olds in the UK was carried out by Savanta.
The IPPR called for more work experience and careers education at school, and a boost to apprenticeships, to make youngsters more employable.
Office for National Statistics figures showed there were 987,000 Neet 16 to 24-year-olds in autumn last year, up from 877,000 the previous year and the highest level since 2013.
Avnee Morjaria, an associate director at IPPR, said: 'The Prime Minister's ambition to level the playing field for young people is absolutely right, but our data shows we are moving too slowly, and too many are being left behind.
'With almost a million young people now Neet, we need a serious plan to rebuild opportunity.
'That means support that doesn't stop at the school gates – and a national effort to ensure every young person can thrive.'
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