Tackling NEETs through the opportunity of Apprenticeships

Referencing directly to young people, Neet is an abbreviation of not in education, employment or training. You are not considered a Neet if you are in formal education, such as college or university, or if you are completing an Apprenticeship/vocational course. 

As of February 2026, it has been reported by the Office of National statistics that there is approximately 957,000 16-24 year olds who are Neet. This number has grown from July-September 2025. 

There are many factors which have impacted the number of Neets. 

Because younger people don’t typically have as much experience as opposed to those who are much older, this can hinder the decision made to employ someone new. Further this, if a younger person is choosing the education route to gain qualifications in their chosen area of expertise, then they will typically choose to dedicate their time getting the best grade possible. So, once they get the qualification and go out into the world of work, employers are interviewing and hiring those who already have years of experience in the field. 

This means that more and more young people are applying for hundreds of jobs and receiving no response. 

Simple skills that are learnt in the workplace, such as: communication; adaptability; and resilience, are a necessity in modern work. Many times, people need to wear more than one hat. Because a young person who hasn’t worked don’t understand how these essential skills are vital, employers are more likely to choose candidates who have evidence of nurturing these essential skills. 

When these essential skills aren’t getting the right nurturing, then people are more likely strained when trying to find employment. 

This one is something felt for many young people. Entry level roles now expect more from the candidate. They want a degree-level qualification and previous experience in most cases. This is near on impossible for so many young people who either chose not to take on further education, or did choose university, but have no work experience due to not being able to find employment. 

All these factors create a vicious cycle for young people who end up battling the same challenges daily. 

So, how do these unemployed young people finally attain the job role that they not just need, but actually want. 

Apprenticeships are a way for all kinds of people in the UK to gain employment through government funded training. 

Apprenticeships are a great way for employers to build the employee they need, all while supporting learning and growing of the learner/apprentice. 

While Apprenticeships are for everyone who is at least 16 years old, and have the right to work in the UK, you may be thinking if it is right for you as a young person, potentially out of university. 

Apprenticeships cover level 2 (GCSE equivalent) to level 7 (degree equivalent- these are only funded for individuals under 22), and you can find standards in multiple sectors. From Marketing to Business & Professional Services, and even Leadership or Health & Social Care, there are a plethora of programmes you can choose from to either build your current skillsets, to reskill into a new area of expertise. You can also streamline your training with Fareport. We acknowledge recognised prior learning that is relevant to the programme you are going to complete. This stops you from repeating training that isn’t necessary.