Skills Commission Report Launch - "Earning or Learning"
Schedule
Mon May 18 2026 at 04:15 pm to 06:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Portcullis House | London, EN
About this Event
Skills Commission Report Launch - Earning or Learning: A New Agenda for Youth NEET Reduction
Join Policy Connect’s Skills Commission and partners for the launch of “Earning or Learning: A New Agenda for Youth NEET Reduction”, a new report setting out a practical roadmap to reduce the 957,000 young people aged 16–24 who are currently not in education, employment or training in the UK. Drawing on extensive evidence from over 200 stakeholders across education, skills, local government, employers and youth organisations, the report proposes a Youth Guarantee for England that ensures every young person can access education, training, an apprenticeship or structured help to find meaningful work.
At this event we will present the report’s key recommendations, including reforms to school accountability to embed high-quality technical and vocational routes, new financial support so young people are not worse off when they choose to learn or train, and a locally led Youth Opportunity Fund to rebuild youth services as the outreach arm of the Youth Guarantee. We will also explore proposals to improve data sharing, simplify offers for employers, and scale proven interventions for young people facing significant mental health challenges or other complex barriers.
A cross-party panel of parliamentarians, youth employment experts, local leaders and young people with lived experience will respond to the findings and discuss what it will take to turn the Youth Guarantee from a funding announcement into a deliverable entitlement in every community. The session is designed for policymakers, local authorities, combined authorities, colleges and training providers, employer bodies, youth services, charities and foundations, and researchers interested in tackling youth NEET and economic inactivity.
We will be joined by the Minister for Employment, Minister for Employment, The Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP.
The Earning or Learning Inquiry was made possible through the generous support from the University of Derby, NOCN Group, Youth Futures Foundation, Jisc and The Institute for the Motor Industry.
A photographer will be taking pictures throughout the event. If you would prefer not to appear in any photographs, please let a member of the team know on arrival and we will provide you with a sticker/badge to indicate this to the photographer.
Where is it happening?
Portcullis House, 1 Victoria Embankment, London, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00



















