Young, Gifted and Broke

There are more than one million unemployed NEETS (what the government terms as, Not in Employment, Education or Training) in the UK. A recent documentary by the BBC"s Panorama filmed the trials and tribulations of four inexperienced, unemployed young men seeking work, highlighting why Britain"s generation of new-starters has become so complacent about getting out into the world of work.

It"s a vicious cycle for unemployed young people when experience is a pre-requisite. While the New Labour government has lamented about the complacency of youth over the last ten years, it has failed to approach the work ethic issue. Gordon Brown promises to change the face of the New Labour government and in a recent speech, addressed the issues facing NEETS with recommendations on supporting charities and social enterprise initiatives working to build sustainable societies.

In a speech to Mansion House earlier this year, Gordon Brown stated, "Today there are in Britain 5 million unskilled people. By 2020 we will need only just over half a million. So we must create up to five million new skilled jobs and to fill them we must persuade five million unskilled men and women to gain skills..." He continued, "Quite simply in Britain today there is too much potential untapped, too much talent wasted, too much ability unrealized".

www.fusejobs.co.uk, London"s entry-level Job site, is a unique social enterprise initiative carrying in excess of 17,000 jobs, and is a resource for young people seeking skills and employment. Fuse Jobs have identified a simple solution: train, volunteer, attain skills and become employable. Amongst its 17,000 entry level jobs, young people can find volunteering opportunities, work placements and apprenticeships. The Panorama documentary highlighted just how this could work when one of the four went onto work for BMW.
Yet with many of Britain"s new starters struggling to compose their CV, education has obviously failed to prepare them to enter the world of work. What"s more, when finding a job becomes a constant case of hitting a brick wall, the welfare system becomes an easy way out for many of Britain"s NEETS.
Careers advice, CV development and writing are just part of the support offered by Fuse Jobs, helping unskilled yet talented individuals realize their dreams and break free of the benefits trap. "Within the Fuse Journey we use our previous experience as career coaches to help our online jobseekers. CV writing for many is a daunting prospect that they will put off and just don"t think they can do. We have developed our own unique step-by-step process for doing this, breaking down the barriers to make CV creation something that"s achievable for everyone," says Fuse Jobs Director, Amanda Lacey.
As the Panorama documentary highlighted, attitudes to work are changing, and with a majority of young people appreciating that they need to be prepared to take almost any type of job, the days of a-job-for-life are long gone. Knowing that it is possible to earn some money while considering other choices and longer term options has boosted morale, keeping street crime down and invigorating positive future inspirations. Skills for employability are a key focus for Fuse Jobs, and as an entry-level job site, connects young people to work placements and apprenticeships for training and development and to their first critical step on the career ladder.

While staying on at school does not always guarantee a job, Fuse Jobs has helped young people discover other alternatives. The New Labour government has done little to help Britain"s generation of new-starters and Gordon Brown has stressed that this is an issue that the government must address.

As traditional jobs for young people melt away, a new sector of service jobs demands enthusiasm rather than experience. Good news for Britain"s young, gifted and broke, Fuse Jobs has found that working with such relevant service sector employers, is enough to change the reputation of so-called NEETS, as they break out into the job market with greater success.

Notes to editors
www.fusejobs.co.uk, is London"s entry level job site aimed at helping the city"s young, unemployed and inexperienced new-starters break out into the world of work, offering over 17,000 entry-level positions. For interviews, information and access to high resolution images, please contact: anu@topposition.co.uk or tel: 0800 094 9001