30-04-2025
'Whole generation is at risk' - Cumbria Chamber backs calls to fix Gen Z jobs crisis
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce has responded to the release of a report warning of a "lost generation" unless the government takes urgent action to tackle the employment crisis affecting young people.
The new report, published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has called for action to remove barriers preventing almost a million people in Generation Z from engaging with work, education, and contributing to society.
The BCC is urging ministers to invest in support to help young people into work, support SMEs to take on and train young people, increase workplace health support for businesses, and set a target to reduce the proportion of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEETs) to that of the Netherlands.
The report, produced by the BCC's People and Work Challenge Group, says that tackling the NEET challenge could add £69bn to UK output.
It also calls for the Government to align its response to the issue across all departments, saying that the problem is likely to worsen in the short term.
According to the report, only 13 per cent of businesses currently have specific recruitment, training, or retention plans for under 25s.
The BCC believes SMEs, in particular, are missing out on the benefits of a "targeted approach" to youth employment.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the number of NEETs has risen by more than 110,000 between the end of 2023 and 2024.
In October to December 2024, there were 987,000 NEETs, including 392,000 unemployed and 595,000 economically inactive.
Suzanne Caldwell, managing director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and lead for Cumbria's Local Skills Improvement Plan, said: "The situation here in Cumbria is significantly less bad than the national picture.
"There were 306 young people classed as NEET in February 2025, which is 22 fewer than in January.
She added: "But those Cumbria figures do hide pockets of particular challenge and we're failing our young people if we don't address them.
Ms Caldwell concluded: "Unless more comprehensive action is taken a whole generation is at risk of being cut loose from society."
