The government is being urged to take action to tackle the erosion of opportunities for young people through the defunding of qualifications.
A report is warning that the government’s “rush to streamline post 16 qualifications” is seeing courses defunded and reducing young people’s choices for learning and future careers.
The report, by an independent commission on post-16 education hosted by social enterprise Youth Employment UK, warns that restricting career choice and opportunities for young people comes as youth unemployment is three times higher than the working age average.
It says that qualifications are being defunded “without sufficient local data, leaving many young people with a reduced education offer in their local area”.
