Third of young Scots on the dole by Xmas
Action call over fund to protect jobs for youths
A SENIOR trade unionist has warned that a third of young people may be jobless by Christmas.
The STUC’s Rozanne Foyer sounded the alarm after a think tank called for a “jobs guarantee fund” to protect young Scots.
The Institute for Public Policy Research Scotland said that school, university and college leavers face one of the hardest labour markets ever.
They estimate that 41 per cent of young workers have been furloughed in Scotland during the pandemic.
Analysis by the think tank revealed there will be 50,000 education leavers this year – the vast majority of whom will be under 25.
This is on top of 25,000 young people already unemployed in Scotland.
The IPPR said a jobs fund would provide opportunities to unemployed young people, or those at risk of unemployment, as well as those from other groups hardest hit by the economic effects of Covid-19. It would include a 20/80 split between learning and working, placements, flexible working opportunities and mentoring.
Rachel Statham, senior research fellow at IPPR Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government has done a good job in reducing youth unemployment since the financial crash, but all of that progress and more could be undone over the coming months.
“We need to see a jobs guarantee fund in Scotland. The UK Government should act to introduce one with urgency – but if they fail to do so, then the Scottish Government should look to step in”.
Foyer, who fears over 30 per cent of young people may be out of work by the end of the year, said: “We are enormously concerned at reports of massive potential drops in apprenticeships in areas such as construction. Government has to act now to boost demand.”
The Scottish Government said it was critical that it “gradually and safely” reopened the ecomomy.
It added: “Tackling youth unemployment is a priority for the Scottish Government and we are considering what more we can do as part of our ongoing economic response to Covid-19.”