Young people, especially those who have recently left education, are likely to be particularly hard hit by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Youth unemployment in the UK has already increased significantly and is likely to rise even further over the course of 2021.

Member tool: CIPD Buddy AI
Use AI to find trusted answers on our Knowledge hub. Start using CIPD Buddy

Supporting and encouraging employers to provide opportunities for young people to access work experience, employment and training opportunities during this difficult period is vital. Previous recessions have highlighted the damaging long-term consequences of a period of unemployment when young to future earnings and employment outcomes, as well as on mental and physical health.

In July 2020, the UK Government announced a series of measures aimed at supporting young people to access apprenticeships, traineeships and work placements, including the launch of the Kickstart scheme. This report uses YouGov employer survey data to assess the likely effectiveness of these measures. Alongside a very challenging youth market labour context, it highlights several barriers to the success of the measures, and makes recommendations to promote employer engagement and uptake.

Download the report

Report: COVID-19 and the youth labour market
PDF document 1.1 MB
  • Data

    Pay intentions

    Stay up to date with the latest pay intentions among employers in the UK.

  • Report

    Future of workforce reporting

    Based on an assessment of FTSE 100 annual reports and focus groups with investors and HR leaders, this report gives benchmarking data, insights and practical recommendations for improving workforce reporting practices

    • See all reports