Careers, Covid and Change: Employment Anxieties and Prospects in a mid-pandemic Britain
By: Olivia Krauze
Tags: Employment, UK, Change, Careers, Covid 19

As Christmas approaches and one of the most challenging years yet comes to a close, for many, worries about employment and careers have only intensified. The most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show the UK unemployment rate rising to 4.9% for August to October.[1] This is expected to reach 7.5% in the middle of 2021, with 2.6 million Britons unemployed. But who has been most affected? What is the public feeling on employment in the UK? And is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

In order to combat this rising rate of unemployment, the government has launched two new schemes: Kickstart and Restart. The first helps young people, aged 16–24, who are currently claiming universal credit get onto work placements, the second aims to tackle long-term unemployment through training courses and partnerships. With the under 25s and minorities hit hardest by the pandemic’s disruption to the job market, it is crucial that support for these groups remains a priority going forward.[2] Concerningly, the British Youth Council’s UK Young Ambassadors’ 2020 report found that ‘[y]oung people do not believe that their education has prepared them to access quality jobs’ in the first place, with ‘little guidance in practical skills for work such as CV writing or job interviews’.[3] Focusing on quality careers provision in schools, rather than seeing it as a tick-box exercise, will ensure that these issues are addressed earlier rather than later.

The government has faced sharp criticism from other sides, who insist that the current level of support offered for those entering the market or struggling with unemployment is insufficient. Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trade Congress Union, backed urgent calls for investment in further education, giving people a chance to retrain in other industries, but emphasised the importance of a parallel job creation scheme, focusing on the green tech, health, social care and public services sectors, where growth is expected.[4] Interestingly, lockdown has given the British public time to re-think their careers along similar lines. In August, a National Lottery poll found that 42% of the British public is seriously considering a career change in light of this year’s events, with medical professions, landscape gardening and teaching forming the top choice industries.[5] 31% of those polled said lockdown had highlighted the importance of a good work-life balance for them; a key future consideration for employers, as many have embraced more flexible working arrangements in particular.

One good example of the support offered to those wanting to retrain in an industry which has boomed during the Covid crisis is the new Level Up programme in Wales, created by Technology Connected.[6] The scheme aims to connect workers from high-risk sectors such as hospitality and entertainment, or those seeking new careers due to the ongoing threat of Covid-19, with careers in technology. For, 16% of Welsh tech firms have seen an increase, rather than drop, in business during the pandemic. Meanwhile, charities like the Prince’s Trust have been offering resources, courses and mentoring opportunities to get young people into the health and social care sectors. It is clear, then, that such opportunities, training and bespoke advice on securing jobs in the key sectors identified by business experts and the British public alike, will take on increasing importance in the years to come. At this uncertain time, the government must not leave this work to single organisations and charities, but rally behind researchers and campaigners in order to rejuvenate the UK job market.

[1] Ben King, ‘Unemployment rate: How many people are out of work?’, BBC, 15 December 2020 <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52660591> [accessed 22 December 2020].

[2] Richard Partington, ‘Furloughed ethnic minorities and young hit hardest by job losses’, The Guardian, 27 November 2020 <https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/oct/27/furloughed-ethnic-minorities-and-young-hit-hardest-by-job-losses> [accessed 22 December 2020].

[3] ‘UK Young Ambassadors Report 2020’, British Youth Council, 2020 <https://2u6szgq3e9x2hmfuy16guf8q-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/UK-Young-Ambassadors-Report-2020.pdf> [accessed 22 December 2020].

[4] Bethan Staton, ‘Call for skills training boost to combat rising UK unemployment’, Financial Times, 1 November 2020 <https://www.ft.com/content/493ee2a6-5d5b-4c18-88ef-323f820b3e3b> [accessed 22 December 2020].

[5] Adrian Hearn, ‘Nearly half of Britons considering a career change, poll finds’, The Independent, 28 August 2020 <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-career-change-coronavirus-poll-a9693951.html> [accessed 22 December 2020].

[6] ‘New “Level Up” Programme Created to Promote Careers in Welsh Technology’, Business News Wales, 28 October 2020 <https://businessnewswales.com/new-level-up-programme-created-to-promote-careers-in-welsh-technology/> [accessed 22 December 2020].