15/09/2011

REC launches youth employment charter

The Youth Employment Charter commits the recruitment industry to playing an active role in helping to prepare future generations of workers. The Charter will drive increased co-operation with schools and charities, enabling recruitment and employment experts to share their expertise directly with young people.

The initiative came as a result of the REC's Youth Employment Taskforce, which last year made a series of recommendations to Government to counter youth employment figures and cut-backs in government funding for career advice in schools.

Recruitment agencies and individual recruitment professionals signing up to the Charter will pledge their support to helping young people through initiatives such as:

• Developing links with local schools to help raise awareness of the world of work
• Actively promoting apprenticeships and internships to employers
• Providing opportunities for young jobseekers to work with recruitment agencies
• Participating in specific employment initiatives led by organisations such as the Prince's Trust, Employers in Education and Business in the Community
• Working with local Jobcentres and work programme providers to develop opportunities and address barriers faced by specific categories of young jobseekers

Kevin Green, Chief Executive of the REC added: "Youth unemployment in the UK has reached crisis levels and we cannot afford to stand back and watch thousands of young jobseekers make blind decisions about their future. We must find a way of providing world class advice to young people whilst they are still in education to give them the best possible chance of making informed and positive decisions about their working life."