Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 973,000 16-24 year olds remain out of work. Organisations claim that young people don’t have the skills required for the job, whereas young people are unable to gain these skills without work experience.
In a recent article for HR Magazine, Nicola Deas discusses how mentoring can be the key to filling the skills gap and inspiring a lost generation. She reports that engaging with young people is important for employers to secure the future of their businesses.
But the work doesn’t start and finish with starting up your own apprenticeship, traineeship or internship schemes. Although this is a move in the right direction, businesses should appoint mentors to the young people they employ so that the right support can be provided. This will ensure that the mentor’s knowledge is passed down through the company so that future leaders have the skills to succeed.
