Young people at Latitude explain how hard it is to get a job

BBC News

26-07-2025

Every day, Abi applies for part-time jobs to be a waitress or work in a shop. The 16-year-old, from Colchester, Essex, has made more than 50 job applications recently but has never heard anything back.Speaking at Latitude Festival, near Southwold, Suffolk, Abi says it is very difficult for her generation to find part-time employment."I worry that in the future even when I have qualifications I won't be able to get a job. It just feels impossible," she says.
Abi, who wants to be a paediatric therapist, has been predicted top grades when she collects her GCSE results next month but says it is not enough."Employers want experience, but I can't get any. I want the responsibility and I want to give something back," she says.She feels grateful that her parents have paid for her festival ticket and is aware many families would not be able to afford it. "I want to pay my own way. I would love to be part of a team and a job would give me some independence rather than relying on them."
'We want to earn our own money'
Many young people at Latitude say they have either borrowed money to attend or had their tickets paid for by their parents.Ella and Lydia, both aged 16 and from Lincoln, keep handing out their CVs when they go into town and send multiple emails to employers but have had no luck getting work."No-one in our friendship group has a job," Ella says. The teenagers, who have just finished their GCSEs and will continue in education, had to ask their parents to pay for their tickets."We would love to earn our own money but it feels like it will never happen," Lydia adds.
How much does Latitude Festival cost?
Up to 40,000 people are expected to be at Latitude each day, where headliners include Sting, Fatboy Slim and Snow Patrol.Adult weekend camping tickets cost £308. The festival offers a plan where payments can be spread out.Children aged up to four are free for the weekend while those aged five to 12 cost £28. Teenagers aged 13 to 15 pay £190 and over-16s pay adult prices.Adult day tickets cost £110 plus fees. Under fours are free and children cost £18, but those aged over 13 must pay adult prices for day tickets.Campers are allowed to bring their own alcohol into the camping areas but not the main areas, where it costs £6.95 for a pint of lager.
'We've borrowed money from our parents to come'
Zac and Freddi, both 17, and their friend Matt, aged 18, all from Norwich, have had to borrow money from their parents to attend the festival.Zac is about to start an electrician's apprenticeship while Matt is going to university to study for a degree apprenticeship in quantity surveying.Freddi is at college and working in a pub, cooking and washing up, which he says is the only job he was able to get without experience."It's minimum wage but I feel lucky to have got it," he says.He hopes to be able to afford to go to university to study criminology.Many of their friends are Neets, meaning they are not in education, employment or training, and one has applied for "more than 100 jobs".Almost one million young people across the UK fall into this category, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).That equates to about one in eight young people. Graduates make up about 10% of them.Job vacancies in the UK are currently at their lowest level in nearly four years.In April, National Insurance Contributions paid by employers increased while a rise in the minimum wage came into force.The hike is forecast to raise £25bn in revenues by the end of the Parliament, but some analysts say it has discouraged firms from hiring.There are concerns the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill could make it even harder for employers to offer people part-time jobs.The bill includes a right to guaranteed hours and a crackdown on zero-hour contracts without the offer of work.
'Unemployment can affect mental health'
Many Neets are economically inactive, meaning they are not actively seeking work, according to the ONS.Poor mental health is one of the key issues preventing them finding work, according to The Youth Futures Foundation.The organisation, which aims to help marginalised young people find work, says unemployment can be both a cause and a consequence of mental ill health.It is calling for more inclusive entry routes into work – through apprenticeships and employment support programmes.Abigail Coxon, a senior economist at the organisation, says being out of work and education "can have a scarring effect on young people even decades later, impacting their future prospects and wellbeing". Mental health needs to be prioritised, she says, and "preventative solutions that bring together health services, education, employers, civil society and other stakeholders" must be found.
A Department for Work and Pensions official said getting more young people into work was a priority for the government."We are determined that no young person is left behind as we drive up growth and opportunity in every corner of the country."Through our Plan for Change we are transforming job centres, testing new ways of delivering targeted youth employment support and giving every young person the opportunity to earn or learn through our Youth Guarantee, while we significantly expand mental health support."
Expert tips for finding work
1. Search beyond a 40-mile radius - Remote, hybrid and flexible working open up opportunities further away.2. Use key words in your searches - Online algorithms will pick up on daily searches and send you more of the same.3. Do not wait for a job to be advertised - Contact a manager at a business that you like the look of as you never know what opportunities might be coming up.4. Sell your skills - Use social media sites such as LinkedIn which showcase your skills and experience. Other platforms such as X and Instagram can prove useful when touting yourself out to potential employers as well.5. Get learning - While you are on the hunt for a job see if there are ways to fill gaps in your CV with free courses, volunteering or shadowing.6. Celebrate the small wins - Set personal targets, such as a certain number of jobs to apply for in a week or a number of cold emails to send, and acknowledge the little wins along the way to keep your spirits up.You can read tips from careers experts in full here.
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