School children ill-equipped for world of work says b-live

Youngsters in the UK are not receiving sufficient support when it comes to making a decision about their future and careers, the results of a new poll have suggested.

Undertaken by careers advice service b-live, the survey of 544 employers and 300 schools found that only 18% felt that students were offered enough work experience.

Over half of the firms questioned felt they did not sufficiently prioritise employing school leavers and graduates.

Managing Director at b-live, Tania Kuveljic, commented that companies taking responsibility to educate children on careers will 'add real value' to their organisations by 'creating a sufficient talent pipeline' as well as reducing recruitment expenditure.

She continued: 'Better communication [by] businesses will give young people a better insight into the jobs available and the skills and qualifications required.'

Meanwhile, employer-led organisation e-skills UK recently claimed that school leavers are being deterred from IT subjects due to outdated curricula and negative images of the sector.