UNISON is warning that A Level students receiving their grades today (18
August) will be seriously stuck for choice over the next step, due to huge
tuition fees, rising unemployment and drastic cuts to Connexions.
New figures released by UNISON reveal that only 15 out of 144 councils will
continue to run a full careers service. Government cuts have also led to 105
councils reducing staffing levels and 50 closing Connexions centres
completely.
A huge database of information, which sets out whether students stay in
education, find jobs or are unemployed, will disappear as part of the cuts,
leading to a lost generation of young people.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“Students should be celebrating their results and planning their futures.
Instead they are hit with huge tuition fees, rising unemployment and drastic
career service cuts.
“These students have come to a major crossroads, yet have no skilled help in
choosing a route. If they feel that options are blocked off to them it will create
a lost generation of young people.
“Local authorities are already washing their hands of career services, when
schools are unable to take over the demand.
“There is no substitute for skilled staff, yet huge numbers are being lost in the
lead up to the Government’s new all age careers service. This not only impacts
upon the lives of the young people relying on vital services, but on the
families who will now struggle to get by with a loss of income.
“A good quality careers service can make or break the future of a young
person. We need to know how the Government will tackle this lost generation
and prevent careers cuts hitting an already rocky economy.”