Youth unemployment in Stockton North is almost twice the national average, a fact that has led Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham to call on the Government to do more to tackle young worklessness or risk creating another lost generation.
Recent figures from the UK House of Commons Library shows that 715 people in Stockton North aged 18-24 are not in work, education or training – up considerably on March 2020 figures. This amounts to 11.2 per cent of 18–24-year-olds. The national average is 5.9 per cent.
Earlier this year the Labour Party launched its “Jobs Promise” to tackle the scourge of long-term youth worklessness, pledging to give 16-to-24-year-olds a quality education, training or employment opportunity after six months of being out of work or not in education or training, and to guarantee that no one is involuntarily away from work or training for more than 12 months.
The Government’s “Kickstart” scheme – designed to get young people into work – so far failed to reach its target of 250,000 funded roles with employers, with only 100,000 places created nationwide.
Alex said:
“These figures show that without immediate action the Conservatives risk creating another lost generation, scarred by unemployment. Young people desperately need to see the Government put forward actions that create opportunities for work, training and education are available to every person between 16 and 24.
“We need to see immediate action now from the Government – and for that matter the Tees Mayor – particularly in areas like Teesside where the numbers unemployed are double the national average. We don’t need more warm words about training schemes or jobs to come. We need the training places now. Our young people’s futures depend on it.”