Abstract
British schools and high schools value longstanding conservative traditions while also adapting quickly to changes and skillfully responding to new global realities. In the United Kingdom, education is structured into several stages: pre-school education from birth to age five, primary education from ages five to eleven or twelve, secondary education from ages eleven to sixteen or eighteen, post-school or vocational education beginning at sixteen, and higher education from eighteen onward. Apprenticeships, apprenticeship levies, T Levels, Traineeships, Vocational technical qualifications, and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee are all excellent answers to the NEET problem. Many recent graduates and young professionals lack work experience. To address the issue, I urge that businesses offer additional internship opportunities.
Introduction
British schools and high schools revere established conservative traditions, but they also swiftly adapt to changes, expertly reacting to new global realities. Students are taught to think critically and enhance their academic and research skills. The UK education system is divided into many levels: pre-school, primary, secondary, post-school or vocational, and university education (Anjum, 2020).
The supply of high-quality, employer-led skills is crucial to the growth of the creative industries, productivity, and global competitiveness. These skills must then be continually updated, as labor market estimates indicate that creative employment will continue to be high-skilled, with rapidly changing skill requirements (Indeed, no date). As outlined in the white paper ‘Skills for Work: Lifelong Learning for Empowerment and Growth,’ ensuring access to lifelong learning is critical to meeting this requirement, whether through gaining a technical qualification at school, such as a T-level, or through upskilling for a specific role, such as through a skills boot camp.
Students leave school at 16 because they are old enough to choose a future job. It is the realization that age is the reason for raising the school leaving age. At this age, children mainly develop an understanding of what they like and what they want to do. Raising the school leaving age allows children to devote more attention to choosing a college, as well as preparing for it.
It is worth noting that numerous plans and concepts have been established in the United Kingdom to minimize the number of NEETs. For example, in 2007, the government implemented the ‘September Guarantee,’ which guaranteed all 16-year-old school leavers a suitable place to study in September and was later extended to 17-year-olds (Education, 2023). “The Young Person’s Guarantee” provided guaranteed jobs, training, or work experience to 18 to 24-year-olds who had been receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance for six months.
Effectiveness of Initiatives
The government established the Apprenticeship Levy, a fund to assist new apprenticeships. It compels firms whose payroll exceeds £3 million each year to pay a 0.5% levy(CIPD, no date). With the adjustments and modifications, Levy now provides significant benefits for introducing new skills and cultivating talent in the workplace. It combines practical workplace learning with academic knowledge relevant to the unique requirements of the business or role. It is also worth noting that the project is well-suited to helping firms embed the skills required to recover from the pandemic.
T Levels are a crucial component of the government’s efforts to revolutionize skills and technical education, providing learners with the knowledge and experience they need to transition into well-paid employment, further training, or apprenticeships. T Levels are equivalent to three A Levels and were developed in collaboration with over 250 employers, including Fujitsu and Amazon. They combine classroom learning with apprenticeships to provide students with the skills necessary for business, enabling them to enter the workforce, pursue an apprenticeship, or continue their studies (Hasanudin et al. 2019). This effort has been highly effective, and many students are utilizing it to combat unemployment after completing their studies.
The pre-apprenticeship program (internship) is a work-based project that helps students become “job-ready” for future careers. This program is beneficial because it helps students develop professional skills, including essential knowledge and information relevant to the placement experience, customer service skills, group and teamwork abilities, and leadership skills. Most importantly, this study promotes an understanding of workplace health and safety regulations. VTQs, on the other hand, are narrowly focused on a particular occupation or central area of labor (GOV.UK, no date).
This project is helpful for students who have already decided on the industry in which they wish to work. This program also helps address skills shortages and unemployment. The Lifetime Skills Guarantee program is a government initiative designed to help individuals enhance their job prospects by acquiring in-demand skills. The project fully funds almost 400 Level 3 certifications. The program helps students develop the skills necessary to secure employment in their field of interest.
The Problem of Lack of Experience
Many graduates and young professionals struggle with a lack of job experience. One of the primary causes of a lack of job experience is the absence of practical experience gained during their education. Some students concentrate solely on the theoretical aspect, failing to gain sufficient practical experience. This may be due to a lack of time, a shortage of internship options, or a failure to appreciate the value of practical experience. In addition, a lack of job experience may be the result of trouble finding work (Hasanudin et al. 2019).
To remedy the problem, I recommend that employers create more internship opportunities. This will help organizations attract young, talented staff with fresh perspectives. It will also benefit students by resolving the unemployment issue.
Conclusion
Thus, during their education in the UK, students decide in which field they want to work and what attracts them more. Initiatives such as the Apprenticeship Levy, T Levels, Traineeships, Vocational Technical Qualifications, and the Lifetime Skills Guarantee are practical solutions to the problem of NEET growth. Through these programs, students may get practical skills while also developing their personal attributes (Anjum, 2020). However, it is worth noting that a problem of inexperience persists among students. To address this issue, companies should offer more internship opportunities. This will help students understand which field they want to work in, gain experience, and have the opportunity to develop within a particular company.
Reference List
Anjum, S. (2020). ‘Impact of internship programs on professional and personal development of Business Students: A case study from Pakistan’, Future Business Journal, 6(1).
CIPD (no date). Apprenticeships.
Education, D. (2023). September guarantee: Education and training for young people, GOV.UK.
GOV.UK. (no date). Skills for Life.
Hasanudin, M., Budiyono, I. and Asrori, M. (2019) ‘Model development of accounting internship efforts in dealing industrial revolution 4.0‘, Dinamika Pendidikan, 14(2), pp. 155–167.
Indeed (no date). The pros and cons of apprenticeships to guide your career.