Nick Clegg must offer more than warm words on youth unemployment, says UCU |

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Nick Clegg must offer more than warm words on youth unemployment, says UCU

The University and College Union (UCU) today said that Nick Clegg was right to raise the problem of youth unemployment but warned that unless the government invested more in helping young people to access education the problem would only get worse.

Responding to a speech by the deputy prime minister at the Royal Society this morning, the union said that many of the worst areas for youth joblessness singled out by Mr Clegg, such as the north-east, had seen education budgets cut and teaching jobs slashed.

Over the last 12 months Gateshead College, Newcastle College, Sunderland College and Stockton College have all announced cuts to their teaching staff.

UCU called on the government to recognise the huge returns of state investment in education and training and pointed to recent research carried out by the IPPR, which showed putting someone through A-levels and university generates £227,000 for the economy. More on this story can be found here - http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6123&from=6126

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "Nick Clegg is right to highlight the issue of youth unemployment. However, words are not enough. Only through investing in education for young people will the government be able to alleviate the long-term problem of youth joblessness.

"Instead of cutting places in colleges and universities and making it more expensive to study, the government needs to harness further and higher education to provide opportunities for young people and the economy."