According to statistics revealed by a Birmingham City Council report, the amount of young people claiming unemployment benefits has undergone a steep decline since 2012.
Four years ago there were 14,450 people seeking benefits. This has now dropped to 5965.
This is the largest decline in young person’s benefits claims out of all of Britain’s core cities. However, Birmingham’s youth unemployment rate, 9.2%, is still far higher than the average city’s, 5.4%.
Paul Faulkner, chief executive of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said “Birmingham’s issues with youth unemployment are well documented and this City Council report is particularly welcome as it highlights how far the city has come since 2012.
“Over the past four years the number of young people claiming unemployment benefits in the city has fallen by 8,485 – an impressive accomplishment.
“Nevertheless, youth unemployment in Birmingham is still at an unacceptably high level with nearly 6,000 young people still looking for work…
“One of the most effective ways to ensure that young people have the skills they need to be ready for the world of work is by bridging the gap between education and businesses.
“Our research has shown that 84% of schools in the West Midlands believe that engagement with employers improves students’ awareness of the softer skills valued by businesses and that 72% see increased levels of motivation from pupils after experiencing the world of work.”
