Jobs: British young people 'use economy as excuse for unemployment'

EMPLOYERS are turning to employing foreign workers because they are hard working, punctual and have a more positive attitude than British young people.

A report for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) says Britain has produced a lost generation who are weak in literacy, numeracy and communication skills.

The report’s author Gerwyn Davies said that many employers considered that the education system in Britain was simply not ‘fit for purpose’.

Mr Davies said: “Employers argue our education skills are too geared towards testing and written examinations,” he said. “They believe many school-leavers don’t possess communication skills.”

"Youth unemployment is likely to increase further because there are more experienced people being made redundant who are perhaps more employable,’ said Mr Davies.

The CIPD quarterly Labour Market Outlook is constructed from surveying more than 1,000 British employers. About 12 per cent of employers reported they would be hiring school-leavers in 2012 and less than a quarter said that they would be considering employing 17/18-year-olds.

Will Davies, co-founder of aspect.co.uk- one of Britain’s fastest growing property maintenance companies - said: “It is becoming acceptable for the young in Britain to be unemployed and use the economic situation and the massive youth unemployment figures as an excuse.

“There are plenty of applications from workers over 30 but we want to see a mobilization of younger British workers to take on the challenge of getting out to work and delivering a service like ours,” he said.

aspect.co.uk plans to expand into the regions and will create hundreds of new jobs.

Mr Davies concluded; “There are opportunities available of young workers in many parts of the country and we would ask motivated youngsters, who have the get-up-and-go to leave the benefit culture behind them, check their local press.”

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