Figures released by Office for National Statistics has shown that the unemployment rate in the UK is at its lowest point since 2009. Previously there was much concern that, despite the gradual economic recovery, unemployment remains high overall. The country’s average unemployment rate is now at 7.4% in the three months to October and has not been this low since February-April 2009.
David Cameron went on record saying that this meant “the plan was working”, and improvements were eventually seen in the stats. He added, this achievement does not mean they can be complacent and need continuous hard work to reach a better level. Ed Milliband was pleased with the news, but raised concerns that these figures do not differentiate between full-time and part-time jobs, where employees work full time.
This success is partly due to government initiatives to create more jobs and get more people back to work. This is also aided by the number of work-based training schemes and practical qualifications offered in the UK. Internships and job-specific courses as provided by Cities & States has proven popular with employers seeking candidates who can work right away, and stands out from those with more general qualifications.
Qualifications have played a key role during the process of lowering unemployment rates, and previously, with the high demand for available jobs, the more qualified or more relevant a candidate is, the better their chances of securing a job regardless of skill set. required level. This has been a particular problem with youth employment, but in these cases importance is placed to a large extent on relevant work experience, another area where apprentices come into their own.
The problem of youth unemployment is far from being resolved, and the number of young people out of work or education is still higher than the overall average. But this figure is also at its lowest point in a year, and is likely to continue to fall as governments work with employers to provide the right kind of education, and therefore the right candidates for them when young people graduate from school, college or university.
A rise in the employment rate is a good indicator that economic problems in the UK are improving and the measures being implemented are working. While a lot still needs to be addressed including increases in wages and living costs, the education and hiring system at least appears to be working to aid the current improvement.
