Young people are facing fewer open doors

Job vacancies are falling. Young people are facing fewer open doors. It’s time for the print and packaging sector to start opening them.

Following the latest ONS labour market overview, we’re warning that the UK’s cooling jobs market could deepen the industry’s long-term skills challenge unless businesses continue to invest in young talent.

The figures show vacancies are at their lowest point since 2021, with manufacturing businesses and SMEs among those feeling the pressure most sharply. With an ageing skills pipeline and ongoing recruitment challenges, this risks creating long-term gaps in capability, innovation, and growth.

But there’s still hope for the future. Through our work with schools, colleges, and universities, we see ambitious young people who are interested in meaningful careers. The challenge is making sure they can see print and packaging as a modern, exciting, and accessible industry.

The industry doesn’t have to do this alone.

Government funding is available for employers hiring apprentices aged 16-18 and foundation apprentices aged 16-21.

And now, new funding is available for employers who hire any 18-24-year-old who has been on Universal Credit for more than 6 months, as well as SMEs who hire apprentices aged 16-24.

Other incentives include national insurance contribution exemptions for employees under 21 and apprentices under 25.

Whether this helping hand is enough is a matter for a future debate, but in the meantime, businesses should strive to take it while it is available.

If Young People in Print & Packaging can help you with this, please get in touch.

www.ypip.co.uk