The latest data from the Labour Force Survey paints a grim picture for Britain’s young workers. According to a report released this morning by the Resolution Foundation, applications per advertised entry-level role have surged by 40% since 2019, with over 400 applications for some graduate positions. The numbers are stark: for every 100 young people entering the workforce, there are now only 85 available jobs.
This is not a blip. It is a structural shift in the supply-demand dynamics of the labour market. The government’s response, as always, is to throw more taxpayer money at the problem.
But the real issue is a misalignment of skills and opportunities. The education sector churns out graduates with degrees in subjects that have little connection to the job market. The result is a glut of overqualified, underemployed young people.
The Bank of England warns that this could lead to a lost generation of workers, but the solution is not more state intervention. The market is sending a clear signal: the cost of university is too high, the value of degrees is too low, and the economy is not creating enough high-skilled jobs. Until we address these fundamental issues, the queue of young professionals at the dole office will only grow longer.
