Nearly three quarters of employers think that a permanent underclass is being created of people who are being alienated from the workplace.
This is according to a report published by the Adecco Group, as part of an initiative they are running called Unlocking Britain’s Potential.
Those employers said it was due to deficient education and background which made a big number of people largely unemployable.
Of the respondents to the survey, 73 per cent believe this underclass is emerging and will be a permanent feature of the labour market in the future.
It threatens to make a skills shortage already in evidence even more widespread, making it harder for businesses to recruit talented people.
The fear of such a class coming into existence was even more prevalent among staff with 84 per cent of employees believing it could become a problem.
Adecco is calling for urgent action to counteract the situation, suggesting government and educators meet on February 21st and take part in a debate on the issue.
From this debate a appropriate and rational plan of action could be drawn up in order to prevent the situation deteriorating further.
All of society needs to be engaged in order to create more jobs and bridge the skills gap which is affecting so many.
Employers are also needed in order to help themselves as the survey found more than half did not offer any apprenticeship schemes or ways of helping the young into work.
Such apathy makes even the most willing to work face a brick wall when it comes to finding a job and gaining experience.
Even though they weren’t offering them, many employers could see the potential benefits they offer, including providing a cost effective resource, filling skills gaps and integrating the young into the ways of the company.
The Adecco Group are recruitment specialists, who are particularly known for supplying workers with a range of skills including languages.
Chris Moore, MD of Adecco Group Solutions, said: “Employers need to act now to stop the rot and expand their horizons to identify new, untapped pools of talent. Taking on young people from diverse backgrounds is not just good from a corporate responsibility perspective; it actually benefits the organisation in terms of innovation, culture and, ultimately, bottom line performance.”
