Robin Newton MBE MLA

ROBIN Newton East Belfast DUP MLA and member of the Assembly’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee, said the 20% of our young people who are unemployed want chances to be successful in 2012. I am worried for the long-term well-being of many young people who are disheartened, disillusioned and fed-up being jobless. I see them frequently in my constituency office. If we let our young people down on this matter we will reap the whirlwind in coming years.

Robin Newton said,

“The young people aged 16-24 not in full-time work, education or training (NEETS)) is a massive waste of talent. These young people need job help and to let them linger on the dole is squandering our best asset. Our economy will suffer if the skills base is not expanded.

Our youth need a chance to succeed. This can only happen when employers step up to the mark and offer work-placement opportunities that will enable the 16-24 age group (NEETS) to gain the job skills and experience that will allow them to prove their worth.

A ground-breaking approach to help the unemployed at 16-24 must be found. To get our young people into the discipline of going to work and accepting responsibilities the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) needs new and creative thinking but also needs cooperation from employers. However, for local firms to provide skill based training and vocational qualification opportunities they need financial support from DEL Minister, Dr. Stephen Farry MLA. Under these circumstances employers can provide the necessary practical help. An innovative partnership between DEL and employers is a crucial feature in addressing the growing youth jobless dilemma.

We cannot continue to recognise the problem but keep on doing the same thing and expecting a solution. Involving employers across all sectors is the key to our talented young people getting essential experience for long-term employment. Minister Farry needs to be pioneering and novel in tackling this mounting problem.”