ABSTRACT
Young people face a daunting prospect in making the transition from school to work in the UK. Youth unemployment and not in education, employment or training (NEET) rates remain relatively high following the financial crisis in 2007—2008 when they rapidly increased to levels from which they are only slowly recovering. Youth unemployment and the percentage of young people NEET is relatively high compared with those countries that have relatively well developed vocational education and training (VET) systems, such as Germany, and in comparison with the average in the European Union. The principal benefit of education-business programmes such as Business Class is that it engages young people in a range of activities designed to open their eyes to the world of work. The evidence provided indicates the way in which education-business partnerships, such as Business Class, can support young people to develop the skills—in the widest sense of the term—to make an efficient and effective transition into the labour market.
