In this economic storm, more than ever before, we need to be proactive not reactive

Yesterday’s news, that more than one million 16 – 24 year old are unemployment is disturbing and a cause for great concern, first for the obvious reasons – that many of our young people and the future generation being out of work is demoralizing and soul destroying and secondly, because it’s a very unfair way to being adulthood.

It is easy to blame the EU and its regulations, foreign workers and their appetite for work and of course the coalition government as Labour continuously likes to remind us ‘Government is cutting too fast and too deep… blah, blah, blah’ but none of that is the reason!

The harsh reality is that times are very hard and our kids are caught in the middle of a very bad storm. The economy is barely limping through, the markets and those who can invest are unsure where to or if they should at all invest – after all, it is cheaper to just sit on your money these day. Yes, there is money out there and lots of it, but the uncertainty of the markets and the overall global economy is making many people reluctant to part with any money unless they have to.

Britain is no longer a leading manufacturing nation and harping on about our lost manufacturing is synonymous to losing a child and being blessed with another one, yet you incessantly compare the new child to the dead one! Its short sighted, cruel and unfair. The UK did not lose manufacturing but gained a great service industry. If we make our mind to be the best service providers and the hub of the world’s Service Industry – and by the way we really are great at services – our economy will flourish again.

Just as our manufacturing base is not what it used to be, so are our children, what motivated their parents and grandparents at their age does not motivate them. Therefore, instead of going against the grain, why not follow the trend.

Historically, as a nation, we imported outsiders to do the jobs we either don’t like to do or could not do. But the same people who grew up with nurses, teachers and rail workers form the commonwealth are now complaining that their kids and grandkids don’t want to be the barista in Pret A Manger!

Did anyone ask the youth of today what they want, need and aspire to be? Or do we all think, “just as I went to school got any job so should you!”

We also need to keep in mind that employers today are spoiled for choice and that is reflected in their workforce. A Spaniard, a Czech or a Lithuanian might not speak perfect English, but you can guarantee anyone that takes the time to travel to explore opportunities knows a thing or two about working outside their comfort zone, that ability coupled with the hunger to succeed, comes across in interviews.

By not giving our young the motivation needed and build their confidence we are selling them and us short.

A headline like “Foreign workers take yet more UK jobs as number of Britons in work plunges …” does not help build confidence and gives the wrong motivation. We need to be proactive find solution not reactive by taking the easy way-out and quickly jump on the blame bandwagon.