Working Options in Education is pleased to be lending its support to calls for the Government to commit to an Opportunity Guarantee. This would mean that everyone who is unemployed will have the help that they need to get into work, with investment in the employment support, education, training and jobs to make this happen.

As the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme winds down, we need to create opportunities for people to skill up, get a job and have a guaranteed role in our economic recovery – young people are key element of this.

The Opportunity Guarantee will:

1. Promote job creation by reducing the costs and barriers to employer hiring, and investing in the jobs that we need for the future.
2. Support people into work by doubling the capacity in services that help people access the jobs market, with greatest support for those facing disadvantage.
3. Secure opportunities for young people by ensuring that all have the choice of an education place, apprenticeship, or job.

Read an open letter to the Prime Minister in The Sunday Times (14 June 2020)

We know that young people’s employment opportunities will be particularly adversely affected as a result of Covid-19 which is why we are also leading the call, with others, for the launch of a National Youth Corps.