A new report by charity ReGenerate, backed by a number of British businesses has sounded the alarm as young people leaving the care system are being locked out of jobs and training, despite the UK facing almost 1m job vacancies.
The report calls for urgent apprenticeship reform to help businesses fill labour vacancies by hiring from marginalised groups, including care leavers, ex-offenders, and neurodiverse individuals.
Currently, the UK has 1.5 million unemployed people and 9.3 million economically inactive individuals, yet many face barriers preventing them from entering the workforce. At the same time, not addressing the problem of unfilled vacancies could cost the UK economy tens of billions per year, while the government spent nearly £270 billion on benefits in 2023-2024.
Backed by a group of leading businesses, including Co-op, Birmingham Airport and NEC Group, the report suggests that opening up apprenticeships towards care leavers and other marginalised groups could bridge this gap, drive economic growth, and create lasting employment opportunities.
Research shows that care leavers are four times more likely to be unemployed than their peers and one third will experience homelessness within two years of leaving care. Ex-offenders face similar barriers to work, with only 17% getting a job within a year of leaving prison. However, apprenticeships could provide a critical pathway into sustainable careers if the system is fixed.
Claire-Emily Martin from ReGenerate, which authored the report said: ““With the UK economy at a tipping point, we – and business leaders nationwide – are urging a step change to apprenticeships, which are so crucial in providing opportunities to some of society’s most sidelined individuals.
“Ex-offenders and people leaving care are particularly badly affected, having often experienced unimaginably rocky starts to their lives. We may be in the throes of a skills, labour force and economic crisis, yet untapped talent is everywhere. We need to take urgent action to remove barriers to entry for the people who need it most.”
Amazon’s Nicola Drury, Head of Skills & Apprenticeships concludes: “Maximising apprenticeship opportunities for marginalised groups isn’t just about social justice – it’s about unlocking untapped talent to help businesses thrive.”
